


Summer Interlude

by darkshines66



Category: Muse (Band)
Genre: Betrayal, Break Up, Cheating, Emotional Hurt, Falling In Love, Heartbreak, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-08 13:23:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 39,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14695074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkshines66/pseuds/darkshines66
Summary: Dom needed to leave his previous life, his decision brought him to the South of France, where our characters will meet.





	1. Chapter one.

**Chapter one.**

He wanted to distance himself as far as possible from his previous life in a bustling urban city. Right now, he was buried deep in the south of France, in the little village located on the seacoast. It wasn’t a resort place which he would usually grace with his presence. Farmers and their families were the only inhabitants of that place. His living arrangements were not comparable to his luxurious bachelor pad he purchased from some movie star, just before he decided that he needed to escape the city for good. He was renting a small cozy cottage with an adjacent garden that provided him with necessary essentials and he loved his scenic surroundings.

It was a perfect place to recover after the nasty, recent media scandal he went through and it gave a peace and quiet, that Dominic Howard was longing for. No paparazzi, following his every step, no middle night calls from his father, no loud and teary arguments and explanations. He finally was left to himself, to collect his thoughts and to plan how to go on with his life. His French was subpar, not to say more and it suited the purpose of isolation perfectly, as Dom wasn’t looking to socialise with anyone. He severed all contacts with his world. Here-he was no one, some guy who preferred isolation and solitude.

Each morning he would take long walks over the cliffs, then a swim in the sea. Surrounded only with the noise of the waves and screeching calls of the seagulls, he would let his thoughts wonder and recuperate... His mind was restless in the beginning, but he learned how to calm it down. His best friends- books- were his salvation. He was reading his favourite authors with a surprising feeling of novelty, letting his brain to experience it in an absolutely newfound, unexpected way.

Dom never ventured beside the perimeters of the village. He was getting all his groceries delivered by the son of the owner of the only shop in the village and getting his milk and fresh eggs arriving every second day from the closest farm. The only person he interacted with, was a wife of the same egg producer. She did light cooking and cleaning for him, but considering his non-existent French, the language barrier shielded him from needless conversations. He didn’t follow the news, never switched the TV on, he abandoned his computer and didn’t even dream of checking the latest gossip on the web. No, he was following in his resolve of discarding all nasty things that happened last year and become a new person.

He would have his afternoon tea in the garden and contemplate about the random things- the multiplicity of life, the difference between the way people from different backgrounds coped with it.

Dom learned the simple tasks, such as lighting the stove, starting the fireplace, mending broken window latch or fixing the crooked fence panel. The physical aspect of doing something with his hands was bringing some pride and satisfaction, making him feel more powerful, competent and at the same time close to Earth. He was settling into comfortable, but lonely life. And it was fine by him.

During the last year Dom lived through many emotions and feelings, so many- that they could fill some other person’s whole life. It was enough to destroy even stronger personality than his, and he wasn’t the best at handling things right, was never taught or felt the need to.

-//-

Dom was going for one of his walks and looked at the sky, trying to figure out, if it was promising another sunny day. His attention was side-tracked by the piece of wooden shingle on the roof, that was on the verge of falling off, being tortured by strong wind gusts.

He made a mental note to check it out after the walk and try to fix it. He knew that it needed to be done because with the change of season the fall rains would tear it off completely and he will be left with the gaping hole in his roof. He didn’t want to risk any leaks from it.

After hiking on the high hill he took a break to observe the waves rolling onto the shore, counting the fishing boats, trawling the water in the search of fish. The light breeze was playing with his golden hair, that he let grow down to his shoulders, the sun was grazing his face with the soft rays, his lungs were full of fresh sea air. The idyllic feeling of freedom and repose was wrapping his whole body in the soft blanket. It felt as even the time stopped and he was sinking in leisured numbness. Hours after he left his house, Dom finally spun out of his lethargic state and decided to go back and get to the task at the hand, waiting for him there.

He walked through the garden and took another look at the roof of the cottage. It definitely needed fixing, so he went into the cottage, changed into his old jeans and t-shirt and got ready for another challenge.

There was a tall wooden ladder, propped against the brick wall of the cottage. He carried it with some strain - the thing was heavy and old. He could see a few rusty nails, sticking out of the planks, but he still wanted to do the repair himself, it was the question of principal. Dom took first step on it and was met with the squeaking noise but ignoring it, he kept climbing up. Finally, he got to the top, and opened the tool box, left by the previous owner of the house. He started by nailing the opposite ends of the shingle to the others and then, has followed the shape of it with more nails. Satisfied, he looked at his work, and again, his soul got filled with some pride, making him feel autonomic and independent, strong and most important -manly.

When he started to descend, one of the planks in the ladder gave up with the disgusting screech and he lost the balance. It happened too quickly for him to react accordingly-he fell to the ground and landed on his back. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs, every breath was shattering his ribs and spinal cord with crashing pain. It was so sharp and intense that he couldn’t move his limbs or his head. The panic started to settle over him. The thought that he broke his back and will become handicapped shot through his mind, making his breathing to fasten up and increasing the pain. Anxiety attack couldn’t come at the worst time. Nobody was around, he couldn’t call for help and laying on the ground, was cursing himself through gritted teeth, calling himself an imbecile and regretting the disastrous decision to become a handy-man.

He must have had a guardian angel, that was on duty that fateful day, because he heard some steps behind the fence and then the noise of the fence gate opening and steps getting closer.

Simple “Oh, mon Dieu “from the postman that was delivering the mail, sounded indeed as the answer to Dom’s prayer.

The guy dropped his bag and knelt in the front of Dom’s face. “Monsieur, qu’est-ce qui s’est passé?” (Sir, what happened?).

Dom gathered every word he knew in French and whispered painfully, “s'il vous plaît, je pense, besoin d'aide, (Please…I fell…need help) "

Thank God or angel, anything really, the guy understood. He noticed the broken ladder, thrown on the ground and by the position and lack of movement of the Dom’s body, he made the right guess. He flipped the phone in his hand and dialed some number, urgently speaking to the person that answered his call. He gestured to Dom, that the help was coming and made sure to secure Dom in his lying position, preventing him from any moves. Dom was panicking and hurting.

When he finally could hear the wheels of the car on the gravel road, he was on the verge of tears, caused by the pain. The fence gate opened and closed with the soft thud and sure steps approached the place, where he laid almost motionless and harmed.

The soft leather boots and fringed edges of the long-worn jeans were the first things he could see from his position, without turning his head or moving his neck at all.

The stranger knelt down and took his hand carefully, putting his own hand on Dom’s pulse point. “Hi, sir. I am a local doctor; my name is Chris and I will take care of you. You and Gaspard done a pretty good job at stabilising your body. The less you move, the lesser there is a chance you will further hurt yourself. If I understood correctly- you fell of the roof, and I am afraid there might be a serious damage to your spine cord or internal organs. I would be able to make a better diagnosis at the clinic after we’ll do some tests.” His soft, reassuring voice, with a perfect English accent, was like a liquid gold.

It was so nice to hear his native language again and Dom relaxed a bit. “Dominic Howard. My name. I’m a visitor, rent the house. I fell from the ladder. Stupid, really!” He sounded his response in the hoarse whisper.

“Tell me, on the scale of one to ten, how strong is your pain? Do you need the painkiller before we’ll try to transfer you?” doctor kept his voice steady.

“Don’t know. Everything hurts. Can’t breathe. Probably ten?” half asked, half stated Dom. He slumped against the ground again, as if the mere act of speaking was too much for him.

Chris nodded silently and motioned Gaspard to help him to get the stretcher from the car. The postman made a few more calls, while Chris talked to Dom and two guys from neighboring farm showed up to offer help. Chris gently put the brace around Dom’s neck and they transferred him to the stretcher, after what he was carried to the back of the makeshift ambulance, which in reality was an old van, remodeled into the emergency car. Chris drove with extreme caution and kept talking to Dom, making sure he didn’t lose consciousness.

It was hard for Dom to answer back, the drugs started to make him woozy and he was fighting to keep his heavy eyelids open, preventing himself from falling asleep. Despite his efforts, he fell unconscious and missed the moment they arrived at the clinic. He came back, when he was on the exam table and heard the hushed voices and the whirring of the ex-ray machine.


	2. Chapter two.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dom spends more time in the hospital, getting to know his doctor and some complications occur on the way to his full recovery.

**Chapter two,**

The pain came back in the big wave and knocked the wind out of him. The strong need to vomit overpowered his senses, and he twitched involuntarily, when a pair of strong, but soft hands held him down and steady. He swallowed hard and started to breath through his mouth, trying to hold the nauseating strike back inside. Then he felt a small prick and saw a nurse, poking an IV needle into his arm. After a few minutes he was out again.

He woke up the next morning, feeling like he was flattened by a hundred-ton tank, every single bone and muscle in his body crying and asking for help. The terrible headache accompanied the rest of his pains and he felt his chest has been constricted and tight. Through debilitating pain, he tried to wiggle his toes and fingers to see, if he was paralyzed and with the huge relief noticed that they were moving, slowly, rigidly.

The knock on the wall (the room have hadn’t a door, just a curtain that separated him from the rest of inhabitants of the clinic) stirred him up.

The handsome, no, strike that -a very hot, doctor, that saved him yesterday entered his place.

 _“What was his name he said?_ ” wondered Dom, trying to strain his brain to remember the name of the doctor. He turned his head gingerly to the side of the soft, hushed tone. The doctor offered him a warm smile.

Room started to take shape in Dom’s eyes, he now can see the medical equipment on the side of his bed, small chair in the corner, that definitely had seen better life, the old TV mounted on the wall and the standard poster of landscape that was hanging, a bit crooked, it’s frame a solid, not painted wood.

“Good morning, Mr. Howard. I can see you’re awake, how are you feeling?” Doctor kept smiling.

Without any success in remembering the hotty’s name, Dom answered,” Terrible, but you already know that!” he grunted through the teeth, forgetting all his manners.

“What kind of clinic is it, anyway? I heard some meowing and barking this morning. Are you a doctor or a veterinary?“ he brusquely attacked Chris, ( _yes, finally, he remembered - his name was Chris)_ and raised his brows in a very indignant way.

“Ugm, I’m sorry sir. In our village, we don’t have too many luxuries and can’t have two different buildings, so, we have to share our premises with animal hospital. And the separating walls are very thin, so you were able to hear what’s happening behind them.” Chris’s voice was apologetic, but he didn’t get discouraged by Dom’s tone. He stepped closer, following Dom’s gaze and straightened the poster on the wall.

“Well, then I demand to be transferred to the city hospital, where I can receive a proper medical care!” Dom easily swung from vivacious to serious, from charming to self-absorbed, and today he was giving a lot of grief to Chris, throwing a diva hissy fit, forgetting his resolution to be a simple, unnoticeable person.

He hated his room, he hated it’s smell and noises coming from the corridor, he hated his life and himself! Everything was getting under his skin and making him enraged.

When Chris told him that he was treated in the building, adjacent to the clinic where cats and dogs were brought too, he thought affronted, “ _Look at how low you fell. From getting pampered by your butler, followed everywhere by your driver/bodyguard, eating only in the best restaurants, traveling in private jets and spending vacations in the exotic places, or the yachts of the rich and famous, dumping your lovers for someone new and fresh? Look, where you have ended, in the barn, with the bonesetter as your doctor! Goodness gracious, how far are you willing to let it go, to become normal again and return to your privileged lifestyle?”_

_“You mixed with celebrities and businessmen, you had people to fetch and carry for you. You earned huge amounts of money and could buy the help you needed. Well, not here obviously. Here- your money is no good. You’re and your health in the hands of this person, well, doctor, with surprisingly good English and manners of the gentleman.”_

Dom groaned. Out of frustration this time, not the pain.

Chris looked at the medical chart in his hands, “Mr. Howard, believe me, I understand your outrage, but moving you in your condition, would be the last thing I would recommend. You can end up with the permanent damage to your spinal cord. You were so lucky it didn’t snap in the first place. And even if you think that we can’t treat you properly- you should stay here for at least a week, before we will take another ex-ray to see how your condition is progressing and how you’re healing!” Chris didn’t lose his coolness, but his voice was cold and deprived from any trace of feeling bad for Dom.

“OK, but after taking some ex-rays, what are my prognosis? “Dom changed his attitude, deciding that he’s in the situation where he couldn’t dictate his demands. He looked at Chris, sobering up from hearing his diagnosis.

Chris chewed on the end of the pen, formulating his answer.

Dom looked at him and realised, how hot he looked in his white coat and those rimless glasses. The perfect, proportionate body, strong legs, covered by the same jeans he wore the other day, the tanned, solid neck, the wavy, chestnut colored hair. His face was a piece of art on his own, the features -precise, but soft, and his almond shaped eyes crinkled when he smiled. Dom caught himself staring at his lips- full, subtle, made for long kissing, lips.

 _“Shit, he is so hot, I wonder what is his story, how he ended up in this godforsaken place?”_ It was so frustrating, lying powerless in the hospital bed, instead of flirting with the most attractive guy he met in a long time. And it made him angry, he didn’t want to be the subject of the pity, and that’s what probably made him lash at Chris in the first place, without any wrongdoing from the man.

Finally, Chris cleared his throat, sat at the end of the bed and put his hand on Dom’s legs, making Dom to snap out of his thoughts and come back to reality. “I didn’t see any permanent damage, your spinal cord is bruised, to put it in Layman’s terms. If you would follow my recommendations, we could look at four weeks- the longest, of the bed rest and then light physical therapy, that will restore your muscles to the previous condition. I understand that you might get restless during that time, but please, don’t take it out on the nurses, they are already trying their utmost to keep you comfortable. You can use me as a punching bag to voice your annoyance. About the wrist- it should heal pretty fast too, you’re young and strong, so I won’t worry about that, and the cast will keep it safe for the time being.”

Dom felt ashamed after Chris mentioned his impatience and thought, that he needs personally apologise to nurses that were offended by his rude remarks. He thwarted his eyes aside, in attempt to hide his resentment of himself.

“How is your pain threshold? I would like to cut your painkillers intake, and just switch you to the regular medication to keep the pain at the bay?” Chris, kept examining Dom, making sure that nothing went amiss.

Dom, again, was impressed by his professionalism. Chris’s hands were somehow bringing an assuring feeling, elevating Dom’s fears and aches. “I agree. Don’t want to get addicted to any substance. I can manage, I think. Thank you, Doctor.” He tried to keep it polite and impersonal.

But, god almighty, that man was making it so hard to stay detached, he was stirring a very deep excitement in Dom, despite Dom’s being chained to the bed by the string of IV tubes and dull pain, half of his body immobilized by the cast.

Chris finally smiled and nodded his head. “I want to run some more tests if you don’t mind? Just to make sure. Some of our equipment not up to the standards, unfortunately.” He patted Dom’s hand and got up, after making some notes in the chart.

“Sure, do whatever you need.” Dom relaxed back into the bed, he liked that Chris was so meticulous, it made him feel safe.

“If you need anything, just let one of the nurses know, we don’t have an intercom, but they are within an earshot away, just call one of them. OK? And I will check on you in a few hours. Just rest for now.” the smile didn’t leave Chris’s face, and after Dom nodded Chris left the room.

Chris went to give instructions to the nurses, leaving Dom to wonder about the fetching and thoughtful doctor.

-//-

On the third day after the trauma, the situation worsened. Despite all the precautions that Chris and the staff took, Dom spiked high fever.

After another thorough examination, Chris identified that the small wound on Dom’s shin, caused by the rusty old nail, got infected and was the reason of inflammation and increased temperature. The urgent measures were used to bring Dom’s temperature down, they used the ice compresses, of course, he was getting antibiotics shots, and the wound was cleaned again and disinfected.

Dom was floating between the periods of unconsciousness and alertness. He was hallucinating and talking in his sleep, was thrashing in the bed and sweating profusely.

Chris didn’t leave his bed, until finally, the situation became less threatening. And even then, he would just go for a quick coffee break and would rush back to check on his patient. He did all the paperwork and basically ran the hospital from Dom’s room. They didn’t have an ICU unit, so all needed equipment was just brought into the one Dom occupied from the beginning. Thank God, there were no other critical patients and the staff could deal with small cuts and bruises on their own, so Chris was able to devote his whole attention to getting Dom’s situation under control.

Dom woke up, with the feeling that somebody was touching gently his forehead with the cold washcloth and then someone lifted his hand. He pried open his burning eyes and saw Chris, standing at his bed, with his fingers on the Dom’s pulse point and counting on his watch. The blood pressure machine was slowly whooshing, and Dom could see the another IV in his arm.

“What happened? How long I was out?” his voice was hoarse; the throat is dry and scratchy.

“Hi, Mr. Howard. Welcome back to us. You gave us a little fright, but the worst is over, the temperature and the rest of the vitals are normal, you just would feel weak, apathetic for a while, but after the nutritious meal and lots of fluids, you should spring back to normal.” Chris smiled, reassuringly and patted Dom’s arm with an unusual warmth.

“Call me Dom, please. Thank you, doctor, and yes, I do feel a little drained and hungry.”

“No wonder. You decided to make our lives a bit more intense, thankfully your body changed your mind and cooperated.” A little sneaky smile followed the joke and Dom couldn’t resist from smiling back.

-//-

After the scary episode with the infection was over, Dom started to gain the strength and his health was on the mend. Chris was almost always at his side.

Dom wondered if his doctor had any days off, and if he even ever slept. He found later from the nurse, that Chris never left his side during the latest scare, spending even his day off at the hospital, sitting at his bed, checking on him.

Dom was overwhelmed and grateful. And he treasured the time he was spending with Chris now, it was a big relief for Dom, to have someone to talk too.

Suddenly, he started to crave human interaction and Chris turned out to be a very interesting and charming conversationalist. They were discussing different things from very vast spheres of interests, and Dom enjoyed it greatly. Chris brought him some books from his own library and his knowledge of the literature was more than impressive. Slowly they were becoming friends and Dom was waiting impatiently every time for Chris to visit him and sometimes wheel him outside to the beautiful garden, were they would have some tea and just talk.


	3. Chapter three.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dom and Chris quickly becoming friends. Each of them have secret desires, that they are afraid to reveal. Then Chris has to go away for awhile.

**Chapter three.**

For the time being, Dom decided that his attraction to Chris should stay hidden, he didn’t want to spoil whatever they developed for now. Sometimes, it was really hard, though. Chris was a gorgeous man. Dom could not remember when the last time he was invested in someone so much. He found out from nurses, (those girls did love a little gossip and he managed to charm them all into liking him and spoiling him), that Chris was openly gay. Chris never hidden his sexuality which brought a huge disillusionment to local ladies. Poor things, in the beginning they tried so hard, but all their efforts were pointless, and they finally left him alone.

Finding out that he didn’t date anyone or had a boyfriend, made Dom ridiculously happy, his hopes were given a little boost of confidence in the matter. But he wanted to get to know the man first before making any moves, he didn’t want to ruin the friendship that they formed.

He felt like a spy, getting his little mental dossier on everything “Chris”. Any information related to his past and present was documented and stored in the vault of Dom’s mind. Dom realised that he was becoming addicted. But it was invigorating, exciting feeling and he was getting pulled deeper into it with every passing day.

One day Chris didn’t show up. Dom got extremely disappointed and bitter. Even the freshly baked croissants, that one of the nurses brought him with his breakfast, didn’t make him smile. He wondered where Chris was, if he finally decided to take the day off and rest or if something happened. He waited until after lunch and finally cave in and ask the nurse. He was told that doctor went to another small village to perform emergency caesarian, as that place didn’t have a surgeon to do it. She told Dom that they were expecting him back in two days.

_“Shit, what the hell! What do you mean- there’s no doctor in another place? In our days of progress and technology people still deprived of elementary things? How is it even possible?_ ” Dom was absurdly angry. Not at Chris, well, maybe a little-for not letting him know that he was leaving. Then he reminded that it was an emergency and felt like a dick for being selfish and impatient.

To occupy himself with something useful he started to think. Maybe he should use his vast resources to fill empty doctor’s positions in the clinic and the hospital. His mind became preoccupied with it. He remembered the times when he donated huge sums of money to the different medical charities. He made mental note to make a call to the director of his fund and ask him to find volunteers, who could come to this place and work at the hospital, some young doctors, who were open to the idea of working overseas, in the places where their skills would be appreciated tremendously. Plus, seeing how poorly the clinic was equipped with even basic medical devices, he started to take some notes of what was missing and what needed to be replaced. He decided to buy all the items, as his way to thank Chris and the rest of the hospital team for taking such good care of him. He wanted to help, to do something good and selfless.

While Chris was away, Dom kept busy with helping around the hospital. He learned how to maneuver his chair in the narrow corridors without hitting something of someone. He already felt strong enough to carry trays with drinks and food to the patients and to help around the front desk. Also, he tried to learn more French phrases in the meantime. He was excited about his own progress, getting healthier everyday. They already talked with Chris, before he left, about discharging him at the end of the fourth week.

-//-

Chris decided to stay one more day at the village where he delivered a baby and to see other patients. He wanted to help the doctor who worked there with workload. He was doing the usual routine appointments, but his mind was in the other place. It was home, back in his own hospital, where Dom was.

Chris found the man extremely exciting, amusing and different from anyone he met before. Even when Dom was insulting in the beginning, it didn’t irritate Chris, he realised that his patient was in pain and didn’t let the offence to take place. And then Dom started to heal and under all arrogant exterior, Chris found hidden warmth and kindness.

The time they spent together, discussing a book or a classical movie-Dom was big fan of American 1950's Westerns, the laughs they shared when Chris was telling him little curious stories from his practice, the way they would just sit in silence, each contemplating his own life- all of it started to become imperative to him, almost vital.

He admitted to himself how much he liked Dom’s smile and his laugh- which were pure delight. When Dom was laughing, he would throw his head back, baring a long, graceful neck and his eyes would close, showing thick long lashes and the perfect teeth would come into play as well.

While he understood how attractive and charming Dom was, he was fascinated with how the man could leap from distress- to irritation- to amusement in seconds. Once, he caught himself, with his gaze settled for too long on Dom’s mouth and quickly looked away.

Yes, the guy was amusing, you had to give it to Dom, there was nothing ordinary about him.

They never talked about each other’s lives, didn’t discuss the past or how they ended up in this place. It was their mutual silent agreement. They enjoyed each other’s company and it was more than satisfying for now.

He noticed that people around Dom could get easily distracted- when they were hit with the full-blown charm and Dom’s good looks -there was no hope for them. Everyone would fall the victim of it if they weren’t prepared- the man didn’t even have to say anything or smile specifically at a person; he just embodied glamor and sensuality. Dom could appear to be frivolous and slightly camp, an arrogant and spoiled like a rich kid. Yet, ever since Chris had met him, he’d displayed flashes of great perception, seeing things about Chris, that Chris wasn’t necessarily keen to show. Dom was well-off and glamorous, and it appeared that he was used for everyone to dote on him, yet he had brains and compassion under all that behavior.

They had become good friends, but he couldn’t deny that Dom was also a bloody seductive man—not just because of his blond aristocratic delicate looks, but his confidence and his charm. And, of course, his determination. He figured out that almost always Dom got what he wanted. And Chris could say, using his six sense, that Dom wanted him. Well, Dom didn’t hide it too much. And it was a dilemma- Chris was so busy with his work and so long ago gave up on his private life, he just didn’t know what he wanted anymore and if he was even ready to start something new. And he’s got so little to build on, he needed more…the only thing he knew- that before Dom, he wasn’t on the market, he wanted peace.

But it seemed that Dom wanted him. He was sure about the last one. Dom have never been coy about it. He told him, not in the straight words, but he did, that he wanted Chris, and not just for fun.

Chris was having trouble concentrating on his patients, amidst the thoughts that were filling his head. It was almost as he did have a conversation with Dom, felt his presence around all the time. Yes, he had a lot to think about, but all of it needed to wait, until he will get back and can see Dom again. For now, his work required him and that’s what he would concentrate on, not on some delicious blond with the demeanours of some European royalty.

He stood up and stretched his tired body. He saw the last chart on his table and opened the door, inviting the next patient in the room. The young guy almost carried his grandmother in, she couldn’t walk on her own. Chris greeted them and pointed to the table, where she could lay down, and he could inspect her injury. The old lady had sprained her ankle while picking clams on the beach, just stepped on one of them and clam didn’t budge. Well, she was a sweet little thing and didn’t complain, when Chris was using his hands to straighten it up and made sure it wasn’t broken.

Her grandson was holding her hand, and on his face, you could see that he was so worried about his Granny. Chris asked her if she wanted painkillers and when she declined, he gently bandaged her ankle and wrote a prescription for pills, just in case. He also added the prescription for walking cane, telling her, that she needed to avoid putting too much weight on her foot and to try and rest it more, before it would heal completely. He asked her grandson to make another appointment with the doctor for follow up in a week.

When all was done, Chris helped her to stand up from the examination table, and the old lady gently hugged him and whispered, “Merci mon cheri.” Chris smiled and hugged her back.

His day was over, and after he finished his paperwork, he bid goodbye to his colleague and went to his car. He was already packed and decided to head on home, not waiting until the morning. It was a three- hour drive to his place, but Chris didn’t want to spend another night in some foreign place.

He switched on his favorite CD and stepped on the gas. The truth to be told, the reason he decided to rush home, he didn’t want to spend another night too far from Dom. The thought sneakily crawled in his brain, he didn’t even realise how much he missed the guy. But, god have mercy, he couldn’t stop thinking of him.

Yes, Dom drove him crazy in the beginning with his demands, he was irritating, impatient, impossible-but so fucking appealing. It took Chris all his will power, not to caress that lithe, sybaritic body, when he was examining him. It was so smooth, so perfect… no one made him feel like that before, had triggered that passion in him. But he knew perfectly well, that he should get a grip. Starting the relationship of any kind, with somebody treated by him was out of question. It would be unprofessional and unethical.

_God damn, why did he have to hurt himself and become a patient, instead of us meeting on the beach, where the hedonist man would be bathing and tanning laysily?_ Chris cursed under the breath and tightly gripped the wheel, trying to concentrate on the road.

Driving home alone he was replaying some interactions he had with Dom and made a sobering decision. He would not make any moves, would not act on his desire, will stay friendly and aloof, and let the life to choose what will happen next…

It was a great plan, the question was – would he be able to follow it?..

He brought his attention to the road again, bobbing his head in unison with the song.


	4. chapter four.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Chris is back, Dom is happy chappy again. Now, the only thing is left for Dom- to find out what Chris feels about him and maybe finally get his hands on that gorgeous body. But, dreams don't always come true...

**Chapter four.**

Dom could never imagine that the sight of a car could make him so happy, he felt as he was ready to almost jump out of his skin. Chris returned to the hospital. He went straight back to work from his trip and Dom could see how tired and drained he looked. Dom couldn’t just attack him right away with his cheerful greeting, needed to give Chris some space to get a breath and adapt. He thought that none of the doctors he ever encountered, was so devoted to work, he never had known anyone who wouldn’t take at least a day to recuperate. No, Chris was one of a kind and that made Dom to treasure their friendship even more. He never met that kind of honesty, patience and kindness, not in the world that he grew up in and left just recently.

So, he waited patiently (and patience was not the biggest trait of his, it was excruciating to pretend). He still made himself scarce, until Chris was done dealing with all the things that waited for him at work, and only then he decided to see him. They had a brief conversation about Chris’s work trip, but Dom could see that the guy’s eyes were almost closing from lack of sleep. Chris wanted to examine him, but Dom assured Chris that he felt a hundred times better, there was no need to worry about him, and begged Chris to go home and take some rest.

Which Chris finally did, he left almost in zombielike state, but still whispered soft, warm “Goodbye. See you tomorrow”. He went to his car to drive home.

-//-

The week passed by and it was a time for the Dominic to leave the hospital.

He personally thanked each and every member of the staff for giving him so much TLC.

He went home with heavy heart, it was making him distressed, knowing that he would be able to see Chris not earlier than his next check up. He understood that with the crazy schedule that Chris kept at the hospital, he could not bother him without any suitable reason.

He tried to garden, tried to paint the fence, anything to keep busy, but all physical labour could not get his mind of one subject. He was getting desperate, couldn’t wait for two weeks to pass by. He racked his brain, looking for any excuses to show up at Chris’s work, to at least get a glimpse of him. His favorite books couldn’t hold his attention, the little chores that he was allowed to do, were not enough to make him tired and he had more than one sleepless night, dreaming about the hot doctor.

One night the dream was so vivid, that Dom woke up covered in a thin veil of sweat, breathing hard and hearing his own heart thumping in his ears. His bed reminded a battlefield, mangled sheets were all crumpled and the bed cover was on the floor.

_Come fucking on, Dom, get it together. It is just insane. You don’t even know if he is that into you! Stop dreaming about having him in your bed and in your arms._

He tried to steady his breathing, and noticed that remnants of his wild dream prominently displayed on one of his sheets in a way of a very large, damp spot.

_Shit, Dom, how old are you? Can’t you behave like a man and not a fifteen-year-old boy with a huge crush and massive libido?_

He was embarrassed, to say the least, but then remembered how long he was abstaining from sex, so everything that happened was understandable. Besides, it was Chris- sexy, amazing, unattainable, godlike man.

He could without a doubt say that those were the longest two weeks in his live. The morning of the visit, he woke up extremely early and used an extra attention and time getting ready. He didn’t want to seem too eager, so he took his time walking to the hospital, visited a local bakery and bought some fresh pastries. Somehow, to his dismay he managed to arrive early. He went to the front desk and left the pastries for nurses, had a little chat with them, and then sat dawn in the waiting room, leafing through some French year-old magazine, bursting with anxiety. It didn’t calm him down. He tried to look cool and collected but entered Chris’s office flushed and nervous.

He saw Chris at his desk, flipping through the patient’s chart. Chris heard his steps, he turned around and greeted him with a huge smile as an old friend. While Chris was performing Dom’s check up, they chatted about how they both have been, Chris’s trip and Dom gossiped a little about townsfolk. After Chris removed Dom’s wrist cast, he asked him to take of his shirt, and was probing with his hands at Dom’s spine. Chilly goosebumps covered his body immediately from the touch of Chris’s big, warm hands and he shuddered involuntarily.

Chris stopped right away and when Dom looked at him -he saw a professional concern on the doctor’s face. “Am I hurting you? Is it tender when I press on your back?” Chris asked in the worried tone.

“No, not at all. I’m sorry, it’s just the cool air from the AC made me shiver a bit. I am fine, no pain, please don’t worry?” Dom tried his best to hide his embarrassment that hit his face with the darker hue of pink.

“OK, but if something was wrong-you would tell me, right?” Chris palped his fingers back and forth Dom’s back, seeing how he would react to it.

“Yes, doctor, I would. But I am feeling good. I think you did a terrific job!” he praised Chris and saw the shade of the same pink, appearing on Chris’s cheeks.

“Well, you were a great patient. Followed all my recommendations, making my job so much easier!” he returned the compliment and looked at his file, trying to avoid Dom’s gaze.

“Oh, really? Was it when I gave you a hell for not having a private room for me and asking to be moved to another place for “proper care”?” Dom was teasing Chris, reminding him what an asshole he’s been to the man that would literally save his ability to walk and function normally.

“Eh, you weren’t that bad. I dismissed it to you suffering horrible pain and in the surroundings that you obviously were not used to.” Chris was a picture of refinement and politeness. He made a few notes in the chart, trying to hide awkwardness he felt inside.

“I still feel, that I owe you an apology. And a huge “thank you” is in order too.” Dom wanted to say, that he would love to invite him for a dinner to show his appreciation, but for some reason just chickened out.

“OK, Dominic, now, when we made sure that everything is satisfactory with you, I just wanted to give you a few recommendations” Chris took a prescription pad and jolted some things on it.

“Here,“ he gave Dom a piece of paper,”first of all, there are some physical activities I want you to postpone for a little longer- nothing strenuous on your back, no heavy lifting, just light exercises. And here, you see - I put the number of the handyman, in case you need to repair something. He would be of great help. Please, don’t attempt any “vertical” investigations of your roof, let the professional handle it. Could you?” Chris’s teasing tone didn’t offend Dom, it made him laugh.

Finally, the air in the office started to unfreeze and Dom playfully tugged the sleeve of Chris’s lab coat. The man was right- it was the stupidest idea, to try and fix the roof on his own, it will probably become a good conversational piece in the future at one of the dinners. And he promised himself, that in the future they will have those, actually he promised himself to do everything possible, so that they will have the future- as being together, not just as friends…

-//-

Dom went home in a lighter mood, with Chris’s smile lingering in his mind and the touches of his hands on Dom’s back when he half-hugged him goodbye (friendly, don’t mind) but still, it stayed on his body, warming him up.

Dom promised himself again, that he won’t push the relationship they formed further then friendship for the time being. He needed to figure out what Chris was feeling towards him first, if there was any attraction he felt to Dom. He truly hoped that Chris did, that he felt something else, beside the friendly vibes. To establish that, he needed to put his desires aside and behave nonchalant and tread very carefully, to not scare Chris away.

There was a popular misconception about Dom in his past, that he pursued what he wanted until he got it. But he never pursued anything that didn’t welcome it, at least that’s what he believed, before he met Chris.

And with Chris, he was getting mixed messages - the man was really hard to read. There was no one else in Dom’s life and he could wait as long as Chris wanted. But not, if he already decided that he wasn’t interested in Dom. That thought made his mood turn sour, he didn’t want to contemplate about that scenario. He just preferred to live a bit longer in his fantasy land, where Chris and he would become much more than just friends.

_How could I make it happen? I need a reason to somehow get him alone, preferably in intimate, maybe romantic setting, but it shouldn’t look like a date!_

That task seemed impossible for now, but Dom wasn’t the type of person to give up. He will find a solution, just needed to concentrate and think! After another fruitless day, when he was stuck in his house, the brilliant (in his opinion) idea struck his mind. He decided to do a thorough research and made contacts with his charity to make his first plan to come to fruition and buy medical equipment for the Chris’s hospital.

Before him leaving the last time, Chris and he had a long talk, about how poorly the country hospitals were supplied and how small was their budget. He found out that Chris, beside being an attending doctor, also was the medical director as well and this problem was really a great concern for him. Dom saw his decision to help as a smart and honorable. He wasn’t going to use it as a “move on” on Chris, just really wanted to elevate some load from the man’s shoulders. It was meant to be a good deed and nothing more.

So, with this resolve, he went to working on the project. After he made the director of the fund to make a promise to him to buy and deliver all the items on the list that Dom emailed to him, he finally took some break.

He took a bottle of young red, that came from his neighbor’s vineyard and some cheese from the same farm, and went to sit outside in the garden, savouring his snack and drink. He was in a reflective mood. Tried to examine his feelings.

What did he want? Did he want a short fling with a lot of sex, or a relationship?

He remembered his last conversation with his father, before his departure, before he decided to turn his life around. At that time, he was upset and angry, but now, he could see the truth in his father words and sense in what he said to him about the lifestyle his son was leading. He was on one hand proud of Dom, his brains, his ability to thrive in the business, but his son’s private life, his mischiefs, the partying and spending time in different beds almost every night-all of it was bothering the older Howard. He wanted something to change, he wanted the face of his son to stop being a staple in the scandalous parts of entertainment in the newspapers and magazines. Yes, he was taken aback to that day when they had a screaming match between them. The father, who was seeing a lot of potential in his son and was pushing him to greatness.

And his answer that came out of the desperate need to be understood, “Yes, Dad, I hear you and your thoughts, wait, let me refresh: ‘You will have to step on your own balls and pick them up. Be your own man, not somebody’s bitch”- does it sound familiar? Well, for your information, I AM NO ONE’S BITCH, and for sure -am not yours!” And with those last words he left the HQ and went to arrange his trip and living arrangements out of the country.

Well, he did it. He left the spotlight, completely turned his life around, stopped being a poster boy for the life of the “rich and famous”. First time in his life he wanted to do something meaningful, selfless, not for the publicity, but to help a worthy cause. And the reason for all that was the man he found in this little place, the man who now occupied his thoughts. He was the reason Dom wanted to keep changing his life.

-//-

After a few weeks of total solitude Dom was missing Chris’s company. He knew that Chris went to another village to do the annual check up appointments for the habitants and to vaccinate some children before the beginning of the school year. The work never ended for a good doctor… Dom went to the hospital to find out when Chris was expected to be back and left him a note, inviting him to his house for a dinner, using as an excuse “a thank you” for an excellent care Chris took of him during his time in the hospital.

Two days after his visit to Chris’s work place, he received a call from the man himself, telling him that he was back and would be glad to accept his invitation. They agreed to meet after Chris will finish work, for a dinner at Dom’s house.

After Dom received this exciting news, he couldn’t hold his joy of knowing that he will finally see Chris, in his home, away from other people’s eyes, for the friendly unpretentious meal…or so he thought.

Dom prepared some simple dishes with the help of his cleaning/cooking lady-Clementine and arranged the beautiful setting in the garden, filled with the aroma of fresh cut grass and blooming flowers. A bottle of red wine was breathing in the decanter, some tealight candles were throwing timid shadows on the table and its surroundings. Happy with his setting, Dom went to change his clothes and when he was fussing with his hair for the hundredth time, he heard a soft knock.

When he opened the door, his face lit up with the sheepish smile he could ever master, seeing Chris out of his uniform, wearing the civilian clothes. It made him to do a very thrilled, but discreet sweep of man’s body.

Chris looked fantastic in his tight jeans, that were hugging his amazing legs in all the right places, the soft cotton t-shirt, that was showing his muscly, but graceful arms and broad shoulders with the strong chest. His hair was free of any product, his face- touched by the summer sun and his smile -warming Dom’s heart and everything below his belly button.

“Chris, hi! I’m so glad you could make it! You must be dead tired? But I’m so happy that you could come. Come on in. I thought we would eat in the garden, the air is so nice and fresh. You probably can use some of it, after inhaling the hospital smell all day long?” He was blabbing a bit, but his nervousness made him to do that. And it was a new sensation to him, to be the one who got so animated. Usually he was the person that people fawned around, and he would indulge them, let them to admire him.

“Hi, Dom.” Chris handed him a bottle of wine,” It’s great to see you too. I must say, you look as you healed completely. It’s a huge relief, considering the injuries you have sustained. But truly, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble to thank me-the best satisfaction for me- is seeing that my work was a success and you recovered so well!” Chris said it all in his simple, unpretentious way, as he always did and stepped into the house.

“Well, I felt that we developed more than doctor-patient relationship, to me you became a friend. Let’s treat this dinner- as friends, having a few drinks and just relaxing in each other’s company.” Dom showed him to the table through the veranda and pulled a chair for the man.

“I am glad that you see me as a friend Dom and I appreciate your efforts. Everything looks fantastic and smells even better. Do you want me to pour the wine, while you’re serving my plate?” He took Dom’s glass and poured the wine in it.

“I didn’t know, what you like to drink, but I’ve made my neighbor to show me his vintages and chose that Bordeaux, I think it will compliment the lamb perfectly.” Dom was still fretting over Chris.

“Dom, stop. You make me self-conscious. Wasn’t it supposed to be an informal dinner between two pals? I start to worry that I neglected to put the tux and a bowtie for attending a fancy soiree. And I didn’t know what you like to drink, so I hope you’ll like the bottle that I chose!” Chris joked good naturedly to ease up the stress on Dom’s face and took a whiff of the wine in his glass, nodding his head in satisfaction.

Dom couldn’t take his eyes from him. The face, that he saw many times in his dreams, the full lips that he kissed in his fantasies, the big, but elegant hands, that he would die to feel on his body. He noticed that Chris shot him a look over the rim of his glass and Dom averted his eyes in embarrassment.

 _“Shit, Dom, come on. You promised not to make fool out of yourself, well, way to go! Staring at the man, as you want to eat him alive!”_ he mussed his hair and shook his head with a cheerful, “Eat, eat. You had a long day, you must be starving!” he urged Chris.

They clinked the glasses and Chris made the first sip, exhaling wine’s aroma and relaxing deeper into the wicker chair. His face was showing the signs of the immense tiredness and lack of sleep. Dom understood how exhausted he must have been, pulling all the insane hours at the clinic, the hospital and overseeing the other medical facilities in the vast area around. Chris complimented Dom on his cooking skills and took another sip out of his glass.

Dom noticed that Chris’s movements were getting slower and it looked like it was a little hard for him to concentrate on conversation and be alert. Dom started to seriously worry that Chris was overdoing it and needed a proper break and at least a decent sleep, where he won’t be jerked out of the bed in the middle of the night for another emergency call. Still, he understood, that this possibility was unachievable, knowing that Chris took his responsibilities very serious. He would sacrifice his sleep, his free hours-to help, to make sure that he was available day and night if the need would arise. People relied on Chris, for some of them it was a matter of life or death. Dom understood all of that, but still it hurt him to see Chris so worn-out.

After they finished eating, Dom cleared the rest of the dinner, deterring all attempts of Chris to help. He told him to stay put, stretch his legs and not move from his place at the table.

Dom was collecting the dishes to bring then to the kitchen, when Chris yawned discreetly. “I’m sorry, Dom, I am not the most graceful company tonight,” he covered his mouth, straining to hide another yawn and exhaled exhausted.

“I hope, I didn’t bore you with my stories from my times at the UNI or about my life in the Big Apple in my twenties?” Joked Dom, smiling at Chris’s unsuccessful attempt to hide his drowsiness. “But to tell you the truth, when I went to leave my invitation at your work, the girls told me that lately you were overextending yourself and that they worry about you. I have to agree with them- man, you need to slow a little bit. You’re going to run yourself to the ground and then hospital would be left without its doctor with the superman powers.” Dom looked at Chris with disproving, but mostly worrying look.

Chris stretched his body and looked back at Dom guiltily “Sorry. I know you’re right. I think I will take a day off and just sleep through it, to get out of my zombielike condition. It’s just we are so understaffed. It’s impossible to keep people safe without doing extra hours. I should’ve asked you to postpone the dinner to when I would be a more pleasant company, but I missed you and your company.”

“Chris, what would you say, if I’ll help you to find some doctors or interns who would be willing to come here and work with you, to ease up the load?” Dom sat down, propping his head on his hands.

“I would love it, but what young doctor in his normal mind would consider getting stuck in this place? They all want to build their careers in the cities, in the modern facilities equipped with the latest technologies in medicine industry.” He exhaled tiredly and ruffled his hair, making Dom swallow hard from the temptation to follow his moves and run his hands through that gorgeous main of the thick and lustrous curls.

“I talked to some of the people I know in the industry and there is a very credible chance that I can find a few guys, who’d be willing to do that. Trust me, I will help you to find volunteers and it would be a great experience for them to work under your supervision!” Dom assured Chris and got the warm smile as the answer.

Chris put his chin on his hands stapled together, “You know, I do feel odd tonight, though. Maybe I picked that flu virus going around on my last trip.”

 _And maybe it’s your own stupid internal slave driver._ Dom couldn’t sass-back from the answer in his head. But he said nothing like that aloud.

” I understand. I think you really need that rest.”

“Hell, it’s only a cold. I’m not the sort of person to claim man-flu, you know. I’ll be all right.” Chris flailed his hand, as brushing it off, but he looked paled, even after the wine and a spicy meal.

The night fell on, coating everything with cool droplets of dew and Dom asked Chris if he was OK, to have tea and some dessert inside. They went into the living room, where Dom decided to serve their tea.

While he was in the kitchen cutting cheese and arranging marmalades and dried fruits and nuts on the tray, waiting for kettle to boil, he heard strange noise. When Dom called back at Chris, he didn’t answer, in fact- Dom couldn’t hear him moving at all.

Dom turned abruptly, a premonition nagging at the corner of his mind. “Chris?” He heard a soft thump from inside the room.

“Chris?” the premonition threatened to evolve into full-blown panic, and Dom ran back into the room.

There was still no answer from Chris, but now, Dom could see why. Chris was lying on the carpet in front of the sofa, facedown. He was totally still. He’d fallen awkwardly, his arm twisted underneath his torso, emphasizing the fact that he hadn’t gone deliberately to the floor.

_Of course, he hasn’t! He’d passed out. Too many long nights, stupid eating habits, hassle with those bloody vaccinations, and all the stress._

Dom didn’t know whether to be angry, horrified, or sad. He dropped to his knees beside Chris and lifted him gently into his arms. Chris’s face was very white, his eyelids a dark, bruised color. Dom held him for a moment against his chest, listening to his breathing. Chris’s heartbeat was faster than usual, but his breathing was steady. His eyelids were flickering too, as if consciousness wasn’t far away. Dom thought of calling the hospital, but it didn’t look as if Chris was in any immediate danger.

Chris’s eyes opened a fraction, but Dom could see his gaze was unfocused. “Dom? Shit, I….” He slumped against Dom again, as if the mere act of speaking was too much to bother with.

“Come on, man,” Dom said, softly. “You need rest.” Slowly, he took a proper grip and lifted them both to standing.

Chris moaned.

“Yeah,” Dom said in a soothing voice.

With a fair amount of awkward shuffling from both of them, he supported Chris along to the bedroom. Room’s air was cool, but not uncomfortable though. Dom helped Chris stumble to his bed. He pulled back the cover and watched the other man lie down. Chris leaned his head back on the pillow and yawned. His eyes opened, and he smiled at Dom. Even though it was a rather aimless, bemused smile, Dom felt a flush of relief. The status had moved from fainting to sleeping, and he felt more able to handle this.

“Chris?” He kept his voice low. “What can I get you?”

Chris smiled sleepily. “Tea, please,” he said calmly, as he was back again. “No milk. Half spoon of sugar.”

Dom almost ran down to the kitchen. He made a mug of tea in a ridiculously short time, ignored Chris’s instructions and added four spoonfuls of sugar—he’d remembered all those programs where people needed hot sweet tea to recover—and then rushed it back to the bedroom. To his relief, Chris was still calm and propped up against a pillow. Dom put the mug carefully into Chris’s hands and watched him blow on the surface, then drink it down.

Dammit, he had an overwhelming urge to feed it to him, spoonful by spoonful.

“Cute,” Chris said. His voice was slurred, but he was still smiling.

“What is? The tea?” _Was he hallucinating?_

Chris chuckled. “No, you- acting as a nurse,” he said and winked at Dom.

But before Dom could ask how many fingers he was holding up, to check Chris’s sanity, Chris handed him back the almost-empty mug, slipped down in the bed, and rolled over onto his side. One more loud yawn and his breathing settled to a normal sleep pattern.

Dom watched the dozing man for a while. His face had regained some color, and he seemed to be relaxed and comfortable. But he was still fully clothed. As gently as he could, Dom eased off Chris’s boots and socks, then pushed the covers far enough back to pull down his jeans. His fingers grazed against Chris’s hips as he tugged the denim down the other man’s legs. Lying on the mattress in his boxers, Chris didn’t stir, but Dom let a slow, guilty shudder ripple through him.

He wondered if this was the nearest he’d ever get to intimacy with Chris Wolstenholme—when the guy was asleep and unknowing. This had to be what it felt like to be a voyeur.

Chris had a t-shirt on, so Dom guessed he’d be warm enough for a while. When Chris shifted on his back and grunted in his sleep, Dom drew back.

There was a small bump under the thin fabric of the t-shirt, just around where Chris’s right nipple would be.

_Had something slipped down there when Chris collapsed?_

Dom didn’t want to go probing around in case Chris woke up and caught him in the act or, God forbid, his hands weren’t able to stop themselves, and continued on, down Chris’s chest, over the planes of his torso, stroking skin and hair, reaching to touch and caress and bring pleasure to them both…

Chris grunted again, and Dom snatched his hand back as if he’d been caught by the “Grope Police”. But as he did, his knuckles brushed the bump and felt the shape of thin, hard metal against the nub of Chris’s nipple.

Dom’s cock hardened painfully against the front of his jeans in an instant, before his mind worked out what it was.

_A nipple ring?_

He nearly came on the spot…


	5. Chapter five.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris spent the night at Dom's. That's what Dom wanted and almost prayed for. Guys got into a little tumble, if you can call what happened that...

**Chapter five**.

Chris stirred and rolled onto his right side on the bed. His eyes opened, and he took a deep breath. For a brief moment, he couldn’t recall where he was. Then he saw the unfamiliar walls of someone’s bedroom. He was aware immediately and instinctively of one thing- something was out of normal. It was still dark, and it didn’t feel like the right time to be waking from a night’s sleep. And yet he felt refreshed enough to get up. He peered at the clock on the bedside table but didn’t believe what he saw. It couldn’t be 2:00 a.m.

_It couldn’t. Could it?_

There was a sudden rustling noise from outside the room.

_Was someone there?_

There was an indefinable scent in the air, like a man’s cologne.

_God. Had he come with someone to their home?_

For some reason, he didn’t panic, just slid over to the side of the bed, climbed out and padded along the corridor to the living room.

“What the hell?”

Dom jumped up, startled, and a flurry of papers slid off his knees onto the floor. He swiveled around to look over the back of the sofa, his eyes wild and blinking.

“Chris? Is that you?”

_Dom! It was only Dom. Well, maybe not only._

Chris ignored his immediate reaction, which wasn’t so much relief as a bewildering excitement. “Um… yes.”

He peered in the dim light of the table lamp, trying to see Dom more clearly. “Dom, what am I still doing here? It’s nearly 2:00 a.m.”

“Is it?” Dom sounded distracted.

“Will you tell me what’s going on?”

Dom gathered up the papers he’d dropped, tapped them together and placed them on the side table. “I had a few ideas, so I thought I’d jot things down while I had a quiet moment.”

“Not that.” Chris sighed. “Why am I here, not what you’re doing.”

“Looking after you.” Dom said simply.

Chris blinked hard. He moved into the room, but it wasn’t until he reached the sofa that he realized he was dressed only in boxers and his T-shirt.

He stared down at himself. “Did you undress me?”

Dom gave a rueful nod. “You collapsed, remember? Well, maybe you don’t. But you were facedown on the floor in front of this sofa, which looked damned near a collapse to me. I thought the best thing was to get you to bed. I just steered you into my bedroom.”

“And undressed me.” Chris rolled his eyes.

There was a light flush on Dom’s cheeks.

_Was that warmth or embarrassment?_

“Your virtue’s safe with me.” he assured Chris. He scooted across on the sofa and gestured for Chris to join him. “Is that disappointment I see in your expression?”

“Don’t be an arse,” Chris said.

As he sat down, not quite meeting Dom’s eyes, he saw a rolled up, woolen cloth on the arm of the sofa. He realised that Dom was napping here, while Chris was occupying his bed.

_Wonders would never cease._

“I didn’t really collapse. Did I?” he rubbed his knuckles over his eyes, to remove the rest of the sleep out of them.

“You’ve been overdoing it. Don’t deny it and I knew things were bad when you showed up.” Dom winced and corrected, “Last night, that was. I could see it in your face.”

Chris opened his mouth to protest, but he just felt too relaxed for it. Besides, Dom was right.

“So how do you feel?” Dom offered Chris a throw from the back of the sofa.

Chris shrugged “No” and settled back into the sofa cushions. “Pretty good, really. It feels like I had a good, deep sleep. Almost as if I’d been drugged.”

“Not guilty. It was just hot, sweet tea.” Dom smiled tiredly and ran a hand over his face. “It’s still early to be getting up. Do you want to sleep some more or…”Dom face looked strained, he didn’t want for Chris to leave.

Chris hesitated for only a couple of seconds. It gave him a strange but pleasant feeling to be with Dom, curled up on his sofa. To get out of the bed and see him there. No demands, no forced interaction, just… greeting him. Chris couldn’t remember the last time he had a relationship with a guy that didn’t bring its own load of tension. But Dom was different, he was fun and witty and civil and bloody good company. And he wanted to help. Chris felt that he wanted to be here, yes, he knew Dom wanted him sexually—he wasn’t blind to that, and Dom had never made a secret of it—but he was a friend too.

Chris’s limbs felt soft now, his nerves still pleasantly befuddled from the sleep. And for a brutally honest second, he let go of the control over his emotions and allowed his body to be in charge.

Dom looked at him across the seat of the sofa, the blond hair messy, the eyes tired but bright with concern.

 _You have to do something. To change things. To move on. Had Chris reminded himself recently how gorgeous Dom was? Only every bloody time they met. It wasn’t as if Chris hadn’t always known that: hadn’t been drawn to Dom since the day he met him, even if Dom had seemed an arrogant, promiscuous prick at first_.

Chris had decided then, sensibly, that he wouldn’t be acting on that attraction: they weren’t each other’s type. But since then, of course Dom had proved himself a good friend, charming companion and with far deeper and more compassionate intelligence than he showed in public. And most of the resistance to getting closer had come from Chris himself—his own inhibitions, his misguided caution, his clinging to the past.

And where had that got him? Confusion and keeping distance from Dom, a man he might have feelings for. Sleepless nights.

_Facedown on the carpet, Dom had said. How humiliating._

“I’ll stay, if that’s what you want” he said quickly. “Please. Just until you will need to go to sleep yourself.”

Dom nodded happily at Chris’s request. He looked inordinately pleased. “So, what do you want to do? You want another of my miraculous cups of tea?” he tried to get up.

Chris gave a soft, low laugh. His hand pulled Dom down to the sofa “No thanks, nurse. I’d just like to sit here and… keep on doing it.”

Then he yawned again. He couldn’t seem to stop. His whole body felt loose. He didn’t realize he’d leaned over until Dom slid an arm behind him and propped him back up. Dom didn’t withdraw his arm, though.

“Thanks,” Chris said abruptly. When Dom frowned at him, he hurried on, “Not just for the arm support. But all the support. And for letting me to stay tonight.”

“Plenty of night still left, you know.” Dom’s expression was briefly mischievous.

“Yes,” Chris said slowly. “There is indeed.” He turned his head farther and suddenly brushed his lips against Dom’s.

Dom’s body stiffened. He never moved a muscle, accepting the kiss but not deepening it. Chris drew back to a distance where Dom’s face wasn’t blurred. The guy looked confused, a mixture of pleasure and wariness. Had he thought Chris would just brush him off? Or had Chris misjudged the invitation?

“Um. Should I apologize? I thought that was what you meant. One of the things we might be doing for the rest of the night.”

“I’m not complaining.” Dom’s voice was hoarse.

“Too fast for you?” Chris voice was laced with worry.

Dom laughed wholeheartedly, a burst of happy sound in the quiet room. “Dammit, that’s the joke of the century! Things have been moving so slowly, I was resigned to be drawing my pension before even attempt of a kiss.”

“And no one would wait that long,” Chris laughed back.

There was a long pause. When Chris glanced at Dom again, Dom raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be so sure.”

Chris’s smile faded, and his heart began to beat faster. He hid his excitement by turning away, relaxing back on the sofa. Dom’s arm was steady and warm, and he wanted it to stay in place for a long time.

_When had he slipped from being Mr. Independent to Mr. Needy? And what the hell does it matter?_

The exhaustion had loosened much more than his physical control it seemed. “You know I don’t mean to tease, Dom. Not deliberately.”

Dom gave a murmur that sounded understanding.

“I’m not sure I’m in the right place to be with someone again. I can’t relax, I can’t let down my guard. Not that I don’t want to… it just doesn’t seem to happen.” He turned back and ran his fingers down Dom’s cheek. “Not up until now, that was. What’s the secret?”

“Secret?” Dom sounded astonished...

“Of living a carefree life. Of enjoying sex for the fun of it, not loading your mind with angst and drama. Of living life without strings. Of shaking off heartache and moving on.”

Dom made a choking sound. “Don’t ask me, for God’s sake.”

Chris stared up at him and frowned. For one startling moment, he saw Dom’s mask stripped free, the conversation dried up, the jokes gone. There was a depth of pure desire and pain in Dom’s eyes. What’s more, it was all directed at Chris.

“What is it about me, Chris? You obviously think I’m wrong, for some reason. But we get on all right, don’t we? I treasure your friendship.” He asked solemnly.

“Yes, of course. I mean, we do get on well. I like yours too.” Chris felt a familiar tightness in the back of his throat. “Your friendship, that is.” He gave a shallow laugh, as if playing to the joke. “Dear God. There’s nothing wrong about you.”

Dom didn’t laugh back. His hand tightened on Chris’s shoulder, and he brushed his thumb lightly against the nape of Chris’s neck. “Are you scared of me? Of the fact that I want you?”

_Was that the problem?_

Chris didn’t think he was scared of anything. Yet maybe, that was a lie—a cover. Things that should naturally disturb him, were kept at bay, so he could pretend he had control over them.

Fear, pain, grief. Attraction, need. Love. Was that the real truth?

The realization stripped him bare in a way being half-clothed didn’t. _Am I so deeply in denial?_

“I think…. I’m scared of a lot of things.” He spoke carefully and slowly. He never found it easy to talk about his feelings, but he knew he had to now. It was the right time and place—and company. “I seem to have been that way for a long time.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re like that at all though.”

“You mean there’s a sentimental center, hidden somewhere?” He smiled at Dom’s cynical pout. “But whether there is or not, that’s no excuse, is it?”

“To play with me?” Dom gave a small, sad smile. “No.”

Before that, Dom, was flirting with Chris, letting him know, that he likes him a little too much, but, if Chris is not interested, he would be fine to stay just friends.

_Yea, he wished!_

All his promises to himself turned into the dust, when now, he was sitting to the man so close that he can feel the heat of his body on his own, his breath slowly moving his chest and making Dom to start breathing in the unison with him.

“Chris? Will you ever tell me what happened to you? How you ended in this place? What made you close your heart, to not let yourself to feel again?”

“Ugm. Do you really think it’s the time for this kind of conversation?” Chris crossed his legs under the cover and sighed hard, giving Dom a quizzical look.

Dom kept looking him in the eyes, waiting.

“ Ok,” Chris sighed again, but now with some reserve,” it was around two years ago. I was in the relationship. He was an anesthesiologist and I was a neurosurgeon, we both worked together in the same place.” Chris inhaled deep and continued,” Once, we got a patient, who’s being in the car crash and needed an urgent surgery. It was a serious head trauma and the time was an imperative. We didn’t have all the information on the guy and he was losing a lot of blood. We started to operate on him, and he was given the wrong blood type transfusion, had a reaction and died on the table. The hospital had to investigate and my partner, who was a witness to all what happened-didn’t stand up for me, didn’t feel like telling them, that I was just trying to safe guy’s life and that his death was just an unfortunate accident. I lost my job and my relationship. That’s when I decided to move out of the country, to escape from everything that would remind me of that.” He finished as briefly as he could and exhaled, exhausted.

“Oh, Chris, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring those memories back, if I had have known, I would’ve never ask!” Dom’s heart swelled with a sympathy.

“Well, you didn’t know, and I’m over my ex, it’s just it was my first and only patient that I lost, and it wasn’t even my fault, but I still can’t forget him. It was a really hard blow to my self-esteem and professional courage.” He closed his eyes as remembering and then juddered his shoulders, as throwing it away.

Dom felt that the depth in Chris was the depth of pain and hardship. He had been appalled at the way Chris had been treated by his former lover, appalled at the grief Chris had suffered when his patient had died. But Dom was sure that an ability to perceive intensely and deeply like that, could bring Chris pleasure as well, if he would just allow himself to feel again.

Dom had known, he wanted Chris from almost the minute he met him. Not just as a conquest—he could have as many of those as he liked, in his previous life. This had been a different kind of battle. Dom wanted him as a companion: in his life, far beyond the occasional social drink and meal. He craved Chris’s company; he loved the way Chris challenged him and even sometimes scorned his ideas. Chris wouldn’t let him get away with anything, and that was the point.

_Just how long had he been pursuing Chris?_

He regularly questioned himself without ever receiving a satisfactory answer. And to be honest, he didn’t know what campaign he should use for this particular battle—only that defeat couldn’t be an option. Dom sat there, still keeping his hand on Chris’s back, thinking about Chris and wondering just how much more of his life he was going to spend on just that.

Chris looked a little flushed, “I’m sorry Dom. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression that I was teasing you. You could tell me to fuck off, if that’s what you feel!”

“That’s not a phrase I use easily.” Dom smiled half joking, half serious. “I can take a lot. My public persona may drive you mad, but it’s always been an effective defense. Until now. I don’t want a defense with you. I don’t want to play the game anymore.” He looked away from Chris’s gaze for a second, as if embarrassed. “Dammit. You know the truth—I haven’t been with anyone. Not since… well, not for some time. Just waiting… to see how you feel.”

“Thanks for the honesty. I’m sorry to tease you.” Chris put his hand on Dom’s knee and squeezed gently.

“No. No apologies, either. Just honesty in return.” Dom put his hand on the top of Chris’s.

“Seems perfectly fair for us both to put our cards on the table.” Chris let the silence between them settle.

He knew he was moving into uncharted waters, maybe for both of them. But it was worth the risk, wasn’t it?

“It’s not just that, you know that I’m working too hard.” He hardly believed he was admitting weakness, let alone sharing it with Dom. But he’d never known anyone to look at him like that. So fierce, and yet so pained. “I’ve… been thinking a lot about you. Things aren’t as straight in my head as I’d hoped.”

Dom tilted his head and rested it against Chris’s temple. “You can tell me about it.”

“No, I can’t. I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to, or that I don’t trust you. I just don’t know how I feel. I guess I have to work this out by myself.” He knew he sounded pathetic. Confused.

“I want you to know, that not all the men are like your ex!” Dom spurted out and clasped Chris’s hand.

“I’m not looking for a lot of men. It’s just…ughhh!” He almost screamed from the frustration.

“Chris!”

“What?”

Dom’s voice was low and soft against his cheek. “Relax. Please. You don’t have to explain anything. Personally, I think that having had in your life this tragedy made you think that you’re beaten, when I consider you’re far from it. But it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be happy to take you as you are now, whatever you’ve got to give…”

“Dom?” Chris sounded calmer.

“Hmm?” Dom came back from the stupor.

“Kiss me again.”

“I’m sorry?” Dom was caught of guard, it was so random.

“I’m not,” Chris said. “Not sorry I’m here, anyway.” He turned his face to Dom and tilted up his chin.

Dom leaned in and touched his mouth to Chris’s. It was a gentle kiss, like the one before, but this time not a chaste one. Chris darted out his tongue, moistening his lips, then flicked it against Dom’s, inviting it to touch and taste. Dom took a moment to soak in those gorgeous honeyed hazel eyes, then smiled impishly.

“What?”

Dom tried his damnedest not to picture those downright kissable lips wrapped around his cock while he ran his fingers through Chris’s tousled hair. He’d always had a thing for soft curls.

“Dom? Why are you smiling?” Chris’s voice was so soft, it sent shivers down Dom’s spine and straight to his cock.

Dom tried to cross his legs tighter, not wanting his jeans to reveal what Chris’s voice did to him. The way Chris said his name lured him in like a siren’s song. Dom sucked in a sharp breath. Then he moved his hand up from Chris’s shoulder and slid it around the back of his neck. Chris didn’t need to be pulled in closer. He moved eagerly, pushing Dom backward into the cushions of the sofa and tumbling after him. They lay together on the sofa, arms clasped around each other, kissing hard and deeply.

“Dom” Chris gasped.

“Huh?” Dom moaned softly in the back of his throat. It was a damned sexy sound, what’s more of it - it was involuntary.

“I think, I should leave… tomorrow…have an early start…clinic…appointments…” but he returned to kissing Dom, stroking his hand down Dom’s chest.

His fingers almost itched to slide under the soft fabric of the shirt, so he gave way to temptation. The touch of skin to skin was marvelous. Dom had light hair on his chest, and small, tight nipples. He wriggled under Chris’s caress and arched against him.

God. It had been a long time since Chris had felt as aroused as this, and his boxers were going to prove inadequate cover very soon and probably very embarrassingly.

“I never thought…” Dom said, without any hint of stopping his caresses. “that you can be anywhere as sexy as you are and that nipple ring…”

Chris stilled his hand. “Hey. I thought, you said my virtue was safe.”

Dom made a snorting noise, maybe from amusement, maybe from frustration. “Dear God, I couldn’t miss it, could I? But otherwise I never touched you, and it nearly killed me. Allow me a moment’s lust in compensation, will you?” Dom dropped his head and nuzzled against Chris’s neck.

The way Chris’s body tensed and shuddered was very thrilling.

“Have you always had it? The piercing?” Chris laughed at the naked curiosity, watching as his breath lifted the fine blond hair at Dom’s nape.

“Since I was a teenager. My first boyfriend liked piercings, and sometimes I joined him at the tattoo parlor.”

“Anything else? Tattoos, maybe?”

Chris hesitated for one second. “No, no tattoos.”

“Even so.” Dom’s breath was hotter now, his hands under Chris’s t-shirt, nudging it up toward Chris’s shoulders. “You’re a dark horse.”

“You have no idea.”

“You like it? Come on, you must have seen plenty of decorated bodies in your time. Haven’t you had things done yourself?” Chris was barely aware of it anymore. It was just there.

“Tempted, but never followed through. Low pain threshold.” Dom tugged the t-shirt off Chris’s head and dropped his gaze to Chris’s nipples. “It’s the hottest thing I’ve seen for a long time. Because it’s on you.”

Chris flushed deeply. When Dom bent his head and flicked his tongue across the small silver ring, Chris felt the reaction trickle all the way down his torso, through his belly and down to the base of his shaft. Which twitched and started to fill. And brought about the embarrassing inadequacy of his boxers he’d been dreading.

“Even more sexy,” Dom murmured. He wriggled against Chris’s hip, nudging Chris’s growing hard-on against his own.

Chris laid back on the cushions, panting with the excitement. He could feel the wet patch as his cock strained to escape through the fabric. It was thick and hot and its need swamped any coherent thinking. He gripped Dom’s arm, hard, and pushed up, seeking relief for his desire. Their bodies strained against each other, their hands greedy on each other’s bare torsos. Dom’s flesh felt wonderful to Chris’s touch, and he could feel the pulse underneath his skin. Excitement and anticipation raced through him, when he pulled Dom even closer, and they both gave a half groan. Dom pushed his knee between Chris’s thighs.

“Don’t,” Chris gasped.

Dom tensed, his breathing heavy. “What?”

Chris didn’t think he’d ever heard Dom speak in such a ragged, incoherent way. Chris couldn’t seem to make his words sound anything than grunts, his hips still rubbing against Dom’s, his skin getting hotter with desire.

“No. No! I mean, I don’t want you to stop.”

“Oh, thank god,” Dom said through gritted teeth.

He held himself up over Chris’s prone body. As he moved, awkwardly because of the lack of space on his sofa, his chest brushed over Chris’s, nipple to nipple. Chris gasped. The touch was as sharp as a nipping of teeth. Dom was trying to unbutton his jeans, straining with his belt.

“Don’t,” Chris said again. He clutched at Dom.

_What the fuck was he trying to say? Get the words out!_

“No time. I’m… it’s too good.”

“Need… make it better for you.” Dom was muttering again.

When Chris lifted his knees and gripped Dom tightly between them, he cried, “Oh, shit!”

Chris wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry out with the pure pleasure of friction.“Harder. Don’t be gentle.”

Dom moaned, his verbal skills now seemingly lost somewhere between sexual delight and confusion. But he followed instructions with no trouble. He got on top. He arched against Chris, surrendering to the pure sensation, and they moved together, rubbing and pressing, harder and quicker. The cushions dipped and strained beneath their weight, and Chris grabbed on to the back of the sofa in an attempt to hold himself upright, to make the most of the pressure on his throbbing cock. As Dom rocked his groin against Chris’s, he arched his back on the upward stretch, his head lifting. His gray eyes were more like black pools, the pupils wide. Something tickled Chris’s pecs and rolled down toward his belly. It felt as though a drop of Dom’s sweat had fallen onto him.

“Oh, fuck!” They came, almost together, suddenly, clumsily, and totally uncontrollably.

Chris’s body shuddered, and his cock pressed almost painfully through his boxers against Dom’s pelvis. His come spilled its heat over the too-sensitive flesh, his thighs tensed, and he gasped his delight into Dom’s neck.

Dom continued to hold him, his body also shaking, his moans muffled against Chris’s throat. The room was silent apart from their heavy breathing…

Finally, Dom unhitched himself from Chris’s body and swung his legs into the sitting position.

“Oh God,” Dom breathed. “Oh my God.”

Chris swallowed hard to get his throat working again. “Are you okay? Is anything wrong?”

Dom started to laugh, then bit it off. “Nothing. I mean… absolutely nothing. No, wait. Maybe. I’m still in my bloody jeans, like some horny teenager.” He looked down at himself.

Chris did laugh. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t just amusement at the look of dazed shock on Dom’s face and the awkwardly twisted, half-open fly of his jeans. Not even the damp patch on the smart denim, and the way Dom moved very gingerly on the cushion. Chris’s happiness came from somewhere else, from deep inside his own body, from his tingling nerve endings, from his sexual satisfaction, warm and wet…

_Wet?_

He groaned, and felt stickiness inside his own boxers, he wasn’t looking forward to washing them...

“It was too fast,” Dom said softly. He put a hand on Chris’s leg, and Chris interlaced his fingers with Dom’s in return. “I was too fast. Dammit, I’m still half-clothed.”

Chris shook his head. “No. It was great. Really great. Messy….”

“But great,” Dom agreed, and laughed softly.

They shifted along on the cushions to sit as closely as they could. Chris leaned his head on Dom’s shoulder. He couldn’t stop another wide yawn from bubbling up.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Dom said.

Chris nodded. He felt exhausted again, but this time it was a pleasantly warm, sated feeling. “I think, I really should go?”

“I’m not going to chuck you out? Why don’t you stay?” Dom heard some pleading in his own voice.

But that was just about all Chris could manage, and he was worried he’ll fall asleep again.

“But if there’s any chance you’ll have a relapse…?” Dom was trying to reason with him.

“No, I feel fine. Just….”

“Messy, but fine,” Dom finished. “Yes, I know.”

They both laughed this time.

Chris hadn’t been lying; he did feel fine. But now he also felt very, very tired.

Obviously, an orgasm would do that to a guy.

“Ok, you go back if you like,” Dom said. “I’ll have to clean up”—he sounded genuinely annoyed at the idea of letting Chris go.

He turned Chris’s head to face him and touched his lips to Chris’s. “We must do this again. Properly. Promise me?”

“Yes,” Chris said, without a second thought. “Please.”

Dom chuckled. “You never cease to amaze.”

“And that must take some doing, eh?” Chris laughed softly.

Dom’s look was both searching and bemused. And maybe a little more hopeful than before. “Yes. Yes, it does. And I’m not remotely unhappy about that.”

Chris kissed Dom’s forehead and went to the bedroom to get dressed. He left, quietly closing the door behind him.


	6. Chapter six.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is so much happening in this chapter, that it's hard to summarise. So, if you want to know, you'll have to read it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got totally distracted by the other story that I'm writing. It's time to post again.

**Chapter six.**

Chris was in his office, when one of the nurses came in to tell him that there were some men asking for the medical director of the clinic. He put down the chart of the patient he was studying and shrugging his shoulders in confusion, went out to see what all of this was about.

He opened the door to find a couple of young men in green overalls, one of them clutching a clipboard and both sporting matching grins.

“Order for Mr. Wolstenholme,” one of them said, and pushed the clipboard out to Chris. The other one helpfully waved a pen at him for his signature.

“I didn’t order anything, and we don’t expect any deliveries.” Chris still questioned men in uniform.

Their smiles never faltered. “We have instructions, Mr. Wolstenholme. We were alerted….” Man, with clipboard glanced at the man with the pen. “We were told that you hadn’t placed the order yourself. But the delivery’s definitely for you.”

“Care of the St. Augustine hospital,” man with the pen added, as if that was the final validation.

Chris found himself confused by a combination of suspicion and curiosity. Maybe it was a donation from a patron or one of the local churches. Perhaps his constant appeals about the state of the medical equipment had finally borne results. He took the clipboard and signed against his pre-printed name. Then held out his hands to receive a parcel.

Men stared at him, and one of them uttered, “It’s all paid for,” they said.

Chris sighed at the misunderstanding. “I meant to take the delivery.”

When both men laughed, he was startled. “What? If it’s just a couple of stethoscopes, or the defibrillator pads…”

“It’s a vanload, mister,” the guy with the clipboard said.

Chris had the distinct feeling that the guy would roll his eyes at his pal if they hadn’t been taught to be accommodating to the customer—however dim—at all times.

“Of defib pads?” Chris still kept wondering. Guy with the pen bit his lower lip. The one with clipboard cleared his throat and looked down at his list. “Okay,” Chris said slowly. “Let me take a look inside the van.”

-//-

Dom was sitting on the sofa, trying to memorise some French phrases, he was taking his studies seriously. The knock on the door startled him. He didn’t expect anyone to visit and the knock didn’t sound too friendly, it was loud and obnoxious. He heaved himself from the sofa and went barefoot to open the door.

Chris Wolstenholme stood there, glaring at him. “Was it you?”

Dom blinked hard. “I’m sorry? Was it me, what?” The phrase made him wince inwardly.

Chris flushed. “I didn’t mean to sound….” He shook his head jerkily, as if arguing with himself. “But it was way out of order! You must know that.”

“You’ll have to explain.” Dom took a step back, his hand still on the door. “And not out there in the street.”

There was a long pause, but finally Chris stepped forward into the house. Dom closed the door behind them.

“Drink?”

Chris frowned. “No thanks.” Of course not, his whole attitude declared. “I won’t be staying.”

“Pity,” Dom murmured. “But that’s your choice.” Without asking, he led the way into the living room.

Chris followed after another pause. The room looked different in the daylight with its high ceiling, pale wood fittings and the fireplace, that he didn’t notice the last time. Dom settled back into the sofa, but Chris stood on the opposite side of the room, resting a hand on the wall. Dom saw the tension in every move Chris made. It felt as Chris needed to keep a distance between them.

“So, what’s this all about?”

“The medical equipment. You ordered it for the clinic. Without consulting me.” Chris didn’t bother with any preamble.

Dom had always admired his directness, but just at this specific moment, he would have appreciated a little longer to gather his thoughts. “Is it the wrong equipment? Do you already have it?”

Chris seemed to be struggling with his words—or maybe just the tone and volume. “Of course, it’s not wrong. Of course, we don’t bloody have it already. You know what we have and don’t have. I told you about our situation.”

“Yes, I do. You showed me. And you said you were seeking donations. Sponsorship, you called it.”

“I wasn’t asking you,” Chris snapped, his eyes narrowing.

“Many thanks for that,” Dom snapped back. He hoped to God his voice was steady. His nerves certainly weren’t.

“No. That’s not what I….” Chris made a sound in the back of his throat, a sigh of frustration.

“I support many good causes,” Dom said. If he talked quickly, maybe he could ease that look of anguish on Chris’s face. “My family does, and always had. We have a vested interest in health programs.”

“Chris…”

Chris didn’t give him a chance to finish. “You know I wasn’t pitching to you, when I talked about it. I was confiding to you… as a friend. I wasn’t after your bloody money.”

“Do you have a problem with sponsorship?” Dom could hear the chill in his voice and Chris obviously did too.

His eyes narrowed again. “That’s not the issue.”

“Isn’t my money as good as anyone else’s?”

“Of course, it is. Dom, don’t be an arse.”

“I knew you weren’t pitching, as you say. I made the decision myself, for my own reasons.”

Dom had grown very still as Chris spoke. “You think everyone should behave just as they bloody well please, without any regard for anyone else.” It wasn’t a question.

“Hell, no, you know that’s not what I meant. Not what I am, either.”

“You think? Listen, Dom: I don’t want to be your toy, don’t want to risk my feelings with someone, who doesn’t know what he wants and where he stands. I don’t want you to buy anything for me, I don’t want to go back to that world, especially not your world. I wasn’t made for it. You can’t buy everything, Dom!”

“I know that!”

“Maybe you do, but you still try, don’t you?”

Dom opened his mouth to protest at the unfairness of that but was suddenly struck by the kernel of truth underlying it. “I don’t know any other way.” He thought it, and the words sprang out involuntarily.

 For the first time in his life, he felt shamed. It made him angry with the wrong person. “You’re too damn proud, is that it? Or scared? Do you think I expect something in return for my gifts?”

Dom saw the splash of scarlet flare across Chris’s cheeks. “This has nothing to do with us.”

“The hell it is. You’ve as much as said-it’s because the equipment came from me, that you’re angry. I don’t know what it is exactly—whether you resent my money, or being beholden to me, or whether you just hate me. But it’s all to do with us.”

“Us? There is no us!” There was a sudden, shocked silence in the room.

Dom felt as if something shriveled up inside him. It hurt, like a physical pain.

To his credit, Chris looked shocked too, as if words had hurt him as much. “Dom, I’m sorry I came here. It was wrong of me.”

Dom wondered when an apology had ever sounded less like one. “No, please. It’s a treat to see Chris Wolstenholme acting on impulse.” He continued, with the shrug of his shoulders, “I hoped that you were different, that you would understand. I’m not trying to buy your affection, nor I want to treat you as my “toy. I thought you would be able to see deeper, would realise my true motives for what I did. I do think it is an atrocity, how the government and the local power doesn’t give a damn about real people and I thought that I should try and change this as much as I could.”

Chris’s face tightened. “I have to get back to the clinic.”

“Yes, sure, go. God forbid anyone does anything without your supervision,” Dom growled, and immediately wished he hadn’t.

But he didn’t seem to be able to let go of his anger and hurt.

Chris’s eyes glinted as if he, too, still welcomed the fight. “You think I’m a control freak, I know. But sometimes that’s what’s needed. That place would go belly up, if I wasn’t trying to hold it together for it to just survive!”

“Yea, you and your goddamn quest for the sainthood…” words spilled out of Dom’s mouth, before he could stop himself.

Chris’s face drained of color. He obviously didn’t want to give Dom the last word, but it looked as though he struggled to get his reply out. “Fuck you.”

 _What have I done_?

Dom felt the chill all over his body. He’d barely made progress with Chris and now he’d screwed everything up by venting, even indirectly, about Chris’s decision to forget about his past and devote his life to helping others. “I didn’t mean that to sound as bad as it did, Chris.” What more could he say?

But, unexpectedly, Chris looked as if he was struggling to put things right too. “I didn’t mean that to be about you, Dom. About making you sound like a spoiled brat… all that.”

Dom couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. “Well, no. I couldn’t be your pimp, that’s for sure.”

Chris made a sharp noise of frustration. “You… everything’s a joke.”

“No!” Dom flushed. “I’m not…. It’s just an act. Dammit, you know that, don’t you?” It seemed they were tangling themselves up in misunderstanding even further.

Chris finally spoke, with a slight sigh. “Whatever. I must go.”

“Let me come with you!”

“What?”

Dom jumped up quickly from the sofa, grabbed the cotton sweater that lay beside him, and wondered how quickly he could find clean socks. “To the clinic. Let me come and help today. Make amends for my crass gift.” He held his breath for a second, worried that another misjudged joke would set off Chris’s anger again.

But Chris was staring at him with surprise rather than fury. “I was planning to unpack and hook all the stuff that was brought by the delivery men.”

“And that,” Dom hurried on, “is why you need as many pairs of helping hands as you can get, right?”

Chris opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“Hold that thought,” Dom said. “You don’t mind giving me a lift there? I won’t be any trouble.”

 _More than I already have been_.

And he darted out of the room on the quest for his boots before Chris could protest.

-//-

They were working side by side with hospital personnel, that was genuinely surprised and happy with every item they unboxed and surveyed with happy grins. Dom was ordered not to lift anything too heavy and he busied himself with completing the cabinets for medical supplies and helped to assemble a few hospital beds. He was so excited to see the joy on the faces of the nurses and few doctors, who were wondering where all this came from and were praising the person who did it. On the way to the clinic, Dom asked Chris, not to reveal the identity of the donor and people just thought that somehow their hospital acquired a very generous patron.

“I need some help over here,” Chris called out.

Dom watched him, his hair tousled, some dust on his cheeks, a healthy grin on his face.

_Gorgeous._

Dom felt his chest tighten and his cock harden with need. It startled him, because he’d kept the feelings under control for so long already. Now was not the time to lose it. As he squeezed past Chris to get out of the way, he saw Chris’s mouth twitch gently. But Dom couldn’t catch his eye. He bent to start unpacking the final box of equipment. With a stab of something approximating orgasmic pleasure, he saw that it had a brand-new coffee machine inside.

He called Chris and took him on the side. “I think it was the last box. How about we leave it to the nurses and custodian to deal with. I think we deserve a little break, and I was wondering if we can grab something to eat and head to the beach. I want to stretch my sore muscles in the warm, salty water?”

“Ugmm, let me just check one more thing, while you will get some food. Honestly, swimming sounds so good right now, I’m all covered in the dust and have Styrofoam in my hair.”

Dom happily nodded, elated that their morning argument was forgotten, and they were back to being… well, he still didn’t know what they were, but at least, Chris wasn’t mad at him anymore.

He got a great idea in the meantime. He called his cleaning/cooking lady, asking her to prepare a picnic for two and said that he doesn’t care how much it would cost, but it should be something really good. And he remembered her husband, bragging about his priceless bubbly, so he asked her to get two bottles of that as well.

He was almost skipping as a little kid, concocting their little rendezvous on the near beach he discovered while jogging one day. It was very secluded and hidden from the eyes of the others and he couldn’t wait to get Chris there.

He went back inside and asked one of the nurses to borrow a few towels and a blanket. When girls gave him a suspicious, teasing looks, Dom stuttered,” I promise to return it cleaned and in timely manner.” And slowly backed up to the corner of the front desk, whistling some song, while waiting.

Chris found him in the hallway, sitting on the chair, waiting for them to leave. They got in the car and Dom asked him to make a quick stop at the farmhouse,” Need to pick up our lunch and wine. You don’t’ think I was just idly sitting, waiting for you?” he winked at Chris.

After ten minutes drive, Chris parked his SUV at the beautiful, picturesque place hidden in between tall hills and they went down to lagoon with pristine beach.

Dom busied himself with unpacking their picnic from two large wicker baskets, while Chris spread the blanket on the sand. When Dom opened the treasure chest, he sent his silent thanks to Genevieve, who managed not only put the food and wine for them, but also included the linen tablecloth and real cutleries, and stemless wine glasses too.

“Oh, god, hahaha, I couldn’t ever imagine you being so domestic. Nice job, Dominic, “ Chris was openly laughing at Dom’s attempt to arrange everything in some kind of order.

“Shut up smart ass, get the water from the canister and wash your filthy paws. It’s almost ready.” Dom growled at laughing man.

With a great anticipation, he unwrapped the variety of cheeses, fresh baguette, olives and little cornichons, the goose liver pate and rabbit terrine, there was also an asparagus and leeks tartlets and fresh fruit and berries for dessert packed in the jar filled with delicious aromatic compote. Everything smelled and looked fantastic, the quality of food could ravel the best restaurant culinary creations.

Chris opened the bottle of bubbly, pouring some for Dom and himself. They sat on the blanket and savoured the cool, crispy liquid, slowly sipping the aromatic drink. Dom was surprised, how great the taste of Bastien’s wine was and had a back thought of maybe talking with the winemaker of investing money in producing his own label. But it all could wait, because at the moment, he was in a beautiful place, with the man he truly desired, having a gourmet food on a lovely, summer day.

The sun was shining in the blue sky, the turquoise water of the sea was filling the air with the scent of salt and the waves were tenderly lapping at the white, silky sand. The smell of lavender was blown by the warm breeze and the world seemed happy and tranquil around them. Dom and Chris, relaxed into half lying position and were lazily picking at food, letting the conversation carry on about the natural beauty and unspoiled state of this place. Dom couldn’t remember when was the last time, he felt so content and at the same time so alive. Feelings of unknown nature were bubbling inside him, making him feel elated and unsoiled.

Life was smiling at him, but he still felt something uneasy, buried deep inside, troubling him and marking his mood with dark shade. After that memorable, messy night they didn’t talk about what had happened in between them and Chris behaved in a very standoffish manner. As Dom had said to himself before-Chris wasn’t an easy man to read. Dom couldn’t access what Chris felt about him and where they were in this stage of their relationship. Dom could see the hesitation and uncertainty in everything that Chris said or did. He needed to clear out the air. They needed to have a “talk” and the sooner the better. Dom wanted the man, he was ready to commit, but what about Chris? What was going in his mind?

Dom knew what Chris’s passion was- his job, his constant readiness to help people, to devote all his time to making them healthy and safe. But outside of that area, Chris was still a closed book to Dom, not letting him to open the pages and ruffle through them. Dom was at overpass, he knew that he had to do something, but he really didn’t know what and how. His last intention was to spook Chris away with a show of too much affection, taking advantage and pursuing Chris too hard. He wanted for Chris to come to the decision on his own, to show Dom that he was open to start something serious.

Dom, cursed himself, _“Come on, you idiot! Can’t you just relax and enjoy the moment, live in the present, leave the thoughts of the future or all your “iffs” for later!!!”_

Dom looked at Chris from under the half-closed lids, shielding his eyes from the beaming sun and smiling unprovoked, just absorbing the picture in the front of him. Chris picked another grape off the vine and popped it in his mouth, licking the juice that ran down his finger.

Dom pushed the silent sigh of lust deeper and took Chris’s hand in his and lightly kissed the tips of Chris’s fingers, licking the sweet juice. “You have the most perfect hands to hold a scalpel or a needle, or something else, among other things…”

“Dom, what do you mean by that?” Chris’s cheeks turned deep red.

“Oh, nothing scandalous, actually, I meant- my heart. You should let your guard down from time to time Chris. Not everything that comes out of my mouth has a double sexual entendre underneath.”

But… but…he should be honest with himself-the only thing that he thought of- was him straddling Chris’s lap and latching on his nipple and sucking and tugging it with his teeth and flicking that ring piercing with his tongue, feeling Chris’s growing erection underneath his own thighs and playing with his body, until Chris would beg him to ride him and will shag Dom’s brains out… _but no, nothing scandalous at all…eh, Dom?_

Those thoughts made him swallow hard and look down at his own cock, standing iron hard from just the thought of Chris’s body underneath him. Those thoughts sustained him for a long time after the dinner and “whatever that sexy mess on the sofa they made?” episode after the night at Dom’s place. There were two things on his mind since that- Chris and hot, mind-blowing sex that Dom wanted to have with him. Dom couldn’t shake it off, couldn’t sweep those thoughts off, no matter how hard he tried.

_And now- he was hard (no pun), so hard that it made his balls ache…_

It was a beautiful, but hot day and they decided to take a swim. The sun was starting to set in the horizon, the air was softly colored with the hues of pink and golden orange. The air was warm and the smell of the flowers from the near fields was getting even stronger.

Dom’s head was full of unanswered questions and desire that was slightly influenced by alcohol, the sun and the presence of the man, who was definitely destined to become his ruin.

“Dom stop looking at me like that!” Chris stepped into the water and noticed Dom’s mouth hanging half open, eyes glued to Chris’s body.

“Come on, Chris. Don’t do this self-deprecation thing. Can you just carry your best qualities and features with pride that you deserve? My stare- an honest compliment to your alluring magnetism. I just want to discover, who Chris Wolstenholme really is!”

“I mean, don’t take me wrong, but it’s just, I always had this image of you, very serious, professional, and even strict… But this piercing? Oh, my God, Chris-you’re an enigma! And that makes you so more attractive…oh, sorry, I meant- intriguing, shit…- interesting, that’s the right word, not too offensive, I hope?”

“You, for sure have to know, how gorgeous you are yourself Dom,” Chris smirked uneasily at that, trying to return a compliment and Dom saw his discomfort.

Chris glided his hands on his torso, “We should’ve brought some sunscreen. The sun is still very hot.”

“Oh, I would love to lather it on you, if that what you’re intending, or I could just stroke your body even without “sun-protecting lubricant,” Dom couldn’t help himself. His face was leering when Chris’s gave him scornful grin.

“ Is everything that comes out of you mouth will be sex related innuendos? You are just impossible!” Chris footballed the answer back at him.

“But, you still like me, eh? ” Dom made the most angelic, virginal smile to appear on his face. Instead of answer he got the splash of water in his face. But even the cool sea water couldn’t help Dom with his growing erection after he got a chance to see Chris only in his swimming trunks. He was already in the water, when Chris turned to face him, and the ring sparkled on his chest. He remembered that piercing, that little metal thing, that drove him to insanity. That nipple piercing, that ring, through Chris’s right nipple that was shining under the rays of leftover sun and made him almost drown from the tugging, heavy feeling in his groin…

“Let’s just swim, come on, I need to work out those calories!” Chris dove into the depth, leaving Dom to try and catch up with him.

Dom never got a chance to see Chris naked the night they fumbled on his sofa, they were almost fully clothed and now, under the rays of the sunset, Chris’s body looked almost demi-god like. He was spectacular. The broad shoulders, the muscular arms, the chest, covered with the light dust of hair thinning out into a little happy trail, flowing right below his belly button and of course lower, the abs of the well-trained athlete and the legs with strong thighs, that could squeeze Dom in all the right places. Dom felt goosebumps as they started to cover his body in the response to the perfection right in front of him.

_He wasn’t a tough bear or a pretty twink, like some of Dom’s exes. He was just… Chris. And even if it caused Dom confusion and puzzled him, it was all there to explain the fierce and strong attraction that Dom found toward him._

Dom had to clear his head. So, he dove under water and came to the surface, starting to swim towards Chris. He finally got close enough to jump on Chris’s shoulders and pulled him underneath the water, playfully tugging Chris down. He tangled his legs around Chris’s waist, trying to get a hold of the man. Chris shrugged him off and came to the surface, sputtering some water in Dom’s face and shaking his hair, dousing Dom in the rain of droplets.

Chris turned around and grabbed Dom’s wrists, laughing, “Oh, you want to play. OK, let’s play. Dom, here, “he yanked Dom’s hips down and dunked him into deep salty seawater, “try your own medicine, huh? How do you like that!”

Dom jetted the water out of his mouth, laughing hard and unaffected,” I do like it, I like how strong and fast you are, I like everything about you,” with these words, he grabbed Chris’s shoulders and latched hungrily on to Chris’s mouth.

Chris returned the kiss. With almost the same passion and need, that Dom felt in his body. Chris’s lips were salty, but inside, his mouth tasted so sweet, they twisted their tongues, playing and fighting at the same time. Their hands started traveling around their bodies. Dom swapped arms around Chris’s neck to hold him close in his grip. Chris had his hands around his waist, Dom’s legs are still looped around Chris’s hips. They started slowly to sink down. Dom couldn’t deny any more his urgent need for Chris and could guess by the way they were kissing and grasping at each other, that Chris was ready too. They moved closer to the abandoned beach, and Chris laid Dom down on the silky sand at the shoreline, their legs still in the water, and sealed his mouth in a deep, strong kiss. Dom wanted to have Chris here and now, but he knew that someone can disturb them any minute. He looked again at Chris, who turned leisurely on his back, letting the waves gently kiss his feet and soaking the last rains of the sun into the rest of his body. Dom shivered from just looking at the gorgeous man.

Funny-when Dom moved here, he thought his life would sedate, but he felt like his life was more extreme, like his heart was outside of his body, now from just the simple look at this gorgeous, strong man, who he wanted with all fibers of his being. Chris was so kind and even -tempered, but at the same time so hot and chiseled, it’s like he was carved out of some hot man stone. There was a wild fire, burning inside him, not visible to the eye of the stranger, but if you could make him to open, to let down the façade, you would see the impressively big personality, with many little quirks and shades of all the colours of the rainbow.

Chris opened his eyes and stared at Dom, not saying anything, just looking. He saw the man, that made him feel alive, woke him up out of his lethargic existence.

 _Hell,_ he admitted to himself that in a lot of ways he didn’t really have a life. _He’s had a career that he loved, but that had been all. He’s given his life to the medicine, which in a lot of ways he didn’t regret, but when had he taken the time for himself?_ With Dom’s appearance in his life he wanted to remember all the fun and joy he was missing, when he trapped himself in the monk-kind lifestyle. Dom was sexy, amusing, unpredictable, he had some failures of his own, but he didn’t let it to turn him into passive observer, letting his years to slip by. And for Chris it all was new, but he wanted to keep exploring it, digging deeper, just to see where this path might take him. So many opportunities could be presented in the relationship, if he will just relax, lower his iron wall and let this man inside. He didn’t want to protect his monotone routine life anymore, he wanted feelings to dominate and shake him to the core, make him feel the buzz again.

He took Dom’s face in his hands and peered in the grey oceans gazing back at him, trying to find the answers to his doubts. He inhaled the faint scent of cologne and the smell of the body, heated by the rays of sun. He laughed happily. Dom’s brows made quizzical line.

“You smell like cornflakes. Yummy, sugary, tasty.” Chris shared his reason to laugh.

And then his face became serious. “Dom, I need you to know, if we will have a relationship- it’s huge for me. And I need to take one step at a time. Please, understand that I’m not saying no, but you and I- are so different and the realisation that you want me, well, it just blew me away. I closed my heart, you know. I have told you the reason for it. So, I want to trust you with my feelings, but I want you to be honest with me and be sure of your own motives, why do you want it.”

Dom was listening intently and just nodding. He reached over and rubbed his hand through the hair on Chris’s stomach, leading to his cock. He liked to touch. Always did, and Chris will have to deal with it.

“You’re trying to get me hard, aren't you,” Chris said.

“That a bad thing?” When Chris didn’t answer, he said, “I love exploring someone else’s body. I can tell when your breathing picks up, where you like to be touched. Feel little scars on your skin and I know a story lives in them. Don’t know why.” He leaned forward and licked Chris’s nipple. “I find that sexy as hell.”

Chris reached over; grabbing Dom’s head and tilting it up so Dom would look at him. “I’m running on empty those days. I’m tired and scared shitless, and if I’ll start something with you and it won’t work out for any kind of reason, it would be very hard for me to piece myself together again, and I can’t let myself to fall apart- too many people depend on me, you know that?!” half- asked, half- noted Chris. “Because, you see, the thing is, that I am falling for you… hopelessly…” he grinned hesitantly.

Dom’s heart was in many places too. He knew that he wanted Chris physically, he had just this animalistic need for his body, but at the same time he wanted him as a person who he could share everything with, trust his most inner thoughts and worries. And he was ready to promise that he would never hurt Chris, no matter what- he’ll always be true to him.

“Chris, you probably think of me as of some kind of spoiled brat, that only looking for a quick physical fix. And I have to admit, that from the moment I gained consciousness after you brought me to a hospital, even though I was behaving like a miserable jerk, I couldn’t stop admiring your physical beauty. But then I got to know you. I saw your strength and kindness; your true character and we became friends. And I lust for you, I want you very much and I understand your doubts. But I want you to trust me. I will gladly give myself to you, if you’re willing to accept what I am, and give it a try.”

“No, I know, you’re right Dom. Since my break up, I was afraid, afraid to feel again. But, I want to.”

“Chris, you said that you’re falling for me and it made me the happiest, because, I’m totally and hopelessly in love with you too. And I want to show you that, just let me, ok?”

They kissed, it was not an anxious, rushed kiss, they kissed with spellbinding tenderness, focused on the sensation of each other lips, hands lightly touching and caressing, nothing was rushed, fragmented. They were slowly spiraling into the world of intimate closeness, just letting each other to get acquainted with the decision they made and move with suspended desire. Of course, each of them was aroused and hungry for more. But there was maturity in each move they made, and after they parted for a breath, they looked at each other, silently got up, grabbed their stuff and ran to the car.


	7. Chapter seven.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They made it to the safety of Dom's house and let their feeling to be finally unleashed. The heated, uncompromising sex and the decision made after it-that are contents of this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I needed to post it soon. It was inevitable to write and let you enjoy it. So, dive in...

**Chapter seven.**

They stopped the car in the front of Dom’s cottage and went into the house, holding hands and still not saying a word. There was something extraordinary in a way they understood each other without talking. Just from the vibes that were coming off of their bodies they knew -what and how they wanted to go on.

Dom took Chris’s hand and went to his bedroom, Chris, following him. They stopped and looked each other in the eyes. Dom pulled Chris closer and started to kiss his face, the eyes, the temple, Chris’s cheek, he followed the outline of Chris’s jaw and went lower to his Adam’s apple, the little vein, pulsating on the side of Chris’s throat. Dom’s fingers were sending sublime messages over Chris’s chest, slowly pulling the shirt up, removing it from the ripped torso.

Chris opened his eyes and pulled Dom’s hand to his mouth, kissing his palm and tracing the blue veins that were showing under silky skin. Chris’s lips were sending heart-stopping waves of sensuality to Dom’s nerve endings. There was something almost hypnotic in that simple show of adoration. Dom was encircled with emotional and physical connection he felt to the most desired man he ever encountered.

Their lips reunited again, they inhaled each other’s breaths with immense resolve. They took a few steps, closer to bed and knelt on the covers. Dom let Chris to remove his t-shirt and lower him on the bed. His body was tingling from each touch that was falling on it from the intoxicating hands of his lover. It was the most sensual prelude to the act itself. Dom knew, that the gentleness that was flowing from Chris’s hands was something that he would never forget. They were going to make love, or just have sex, it was both profound and trustful. Not a relentless groping they had the last time when they were together.

Chris was able to provoke the ultimate feelings in Dom by just looking at him. Add to this his engulfing caresses and Dom was already on the verge of euphoria. Chris removed the rest of Dom’s clothes and lavished his body with scorching kisses. Dom’s nipples, his groin, his thighs- everything was in play.

He saw the outline of Chris’s cock and felt the urge to taste it, to let Chris feel what he was feeling. He swapped places and saddled Chris’s hips. Dom needed to lick and suck on his nipples, to stick his tongue through the piercing and tug on it with his teeth, to discover the texture of Chris’s skin on his lips.

The only sound in the bedroom was their erratic breathing, interrupted with more kissing and sucking sounds.

Dom felt lightheaded and floating out of his body. He couldn’t ever predict that just the way Chris’s body was spread underneath him, the heat coming through his skin into Dom’s, could satisfy his most erotic dreams. The deep, guttural sound escaped from Chris’s throat when Dom started to lower his briefs. He lifted his hips, letting Dom to remove them off completely. Finally, Dom saw his naked lover in his sensational state of arousal.

Chris was gorgeous. His body was flushed with the light heat, a thin veil of sweat was making it to gleam in the most fascinating way. His chest was rising with every breath accentuating perfect abs, hollows of the V that was trailing all the way down from his waist, below the hips. The hardness of his cock was making it sprung from his body and Dom moved his hands to envelop the length and lowered his mouth to take the exquisite tip in it. Dom was in control.

Chris didn’t resist, he just grasped the headboard to steady himself, his head fell back, exposing his long, strong neck. Dom had him in his grip, was given the green light to do whatever he wanted. Seeing Chris - strong, muscular, powerful man, submitting to him-was making him exalted. Chris opened his eyes and looked at Dom through haze of emotions, mirrored on his face. It implored Dom to double his efforts, he used both hands, his tongue and lips- to drive Chris to highest extent of pleasure. Dom could feel light tremor in Chris’s abdomen that indicated the inbound wave of climax and withdrew his mouth.

Chris laid on the bed, stark naked, sprawled and breathless, he swallowed hard and reached for Dom’s hands. He gently pulled Dom down, merging their bodies together. He found Dom’s mouth and possessed it, plunging his tongue inside. Finally, Chris exhaled and gave Dom another stare, “It’s been awhile.” His husky smoky voice drove Dom mad.

“It is the same with me. I was having the steady relationship with my left hand, and I think, it’s getting bored with me, “he smiled ruefully to answer Chris’s question.

“Oh, you poor man. Come here, let me make you happy, “Chris swapped positions in one swift move and pushed Dom’s legs apart with his knee.

Chris brushed Dom’s thigh with his cheek. Dom loved the feel of stubble on his skin. Little goosebumps ran over his body. The masculine, sensual smell of Chris filled his nostrils and he bit Chris’s shoulder to bring the taste closer. The temperature in his body went up a million degrees instantly. His cock- hard and leaking. He loved being with Chris, knowing that he didn’t have to hold back and hoping that Chris felt the same way.

“Dom, you don’t tell me, what you want.” Chris propped himself over Dom’s body.

“I’m verse. But tonight, I want to be fucked. Though, it doesn’t mean, that I won’t try to take control…” he loved being in control and wanted to drive Chris wild.

Chris groaned, when Dom got his mouth on his piercing again.

“I simply can’t get enough of it.” Dom almost apologised, “it’s tantalizing and so provoking!” Dom tugged the ring and Chris jolted his head and pushed his chest closer to Dom’s mouth. He felt his stomach twisting in knots, tying him more and more, because of how much he wanted Dom. He felt that slow burn and didn’t want it to stop.

Hell, he had those little embers of fire inside him since the minute they met. He was careful not to act on his undeniable attraction while Dom was in his care, but now -he could finally get loose and leave all his inhibitions aside. Chris looked at Dom again, the golden silky skin glistened with sweat beckoning to being savored, ravished. Chris wanted to wrap himself in Dom, he needed to be inside him, wanted to slowly die in his arms from the euphoria of being together. His throbbing cock was begging for release. He couldn’t hold more even for a moment -under the risk of spilling its contents in blazing outburst.

“Dom?” he said low under the breath.

“The night table. Lube, condoms, Get it. Please, hurry!” Dom read his mind and prompted him, opening his legs wider and pushing his abdomen, so their cocks touched and skimmed together.

Even if he wanted to, nothing would hold Chris anymore. He yanked the drawer open, getting the staff out of it. The cap from the bottle of lube flew across the room, with shaking hands he put some liquid on his hands and lowered them to Dom’s entrance.

He stilled for the moment, but Dom’s raspy voice brought him back to action, “Chris, please, do it!” Dom wriggled himself closer to his hand.

A growl vibrated through Chris’s mouth, he quickly lubed himself and tried to tear the condom wrapper. His hands were slippery, and he dropped it on the bed, cursing under the breath. Dom, grabbed the packet, opened it in one swift motion and using both hands, rolled it on Chris’s engorged cock.

“Shiiit, Dom,” Chris hissed and lowered himself on Dom. He swirled his finger around Dom’s opening and slipped it inside. Hitched intake of breath let him know, how much Dom needed it.

He started to probe inside, when Dom, hissed at him,” More, give me one more!” and pushed Chris’s hand.

He aligned himself to Dom’s lithe body, muscle against muscle, heat against heat. Dom pushed his hands underneath and opened himself for Chris, attaining his entrance to the tip of Chris’s cock. Chris raised himself on his hands and slowly slipped into Dom’s entrance. But Dom had something different on his mind. He tangled his legs around Chris’s back and pushed Chris, using his legs, into himself. Dom hitched his breath from scorching feeling of hot, hard flesh inside. His sensory drive overpowered him, the inexplicable urge was dictating its rules to his brain, making him to forget the reality and just give in to faltering on death pleasure.

“Harder Chris, don’t want you to be gentle anymore, fuck me hard!” Dom muttered through gritted teeth.

Chris slammed his hips on Dom’s buttocks; his breath was ragged and uneven. He was trying very hard to prolong the experience, to hold off the eruption that was clambering so fast to the point of no return. He wanted Dom there with him, wanted to face that explosion together. He found the prostate. Chris escalated the speed and strength of his thrusts. Dom’s eyes rolled up, signaling the approaching climax. Chris grabbed Dom’s cock and pumped it with his fist. Dom dug his fingers into Chris’s shoulders, his legs flailed off and he started to shudder, climaxing hard, in the rippling waves, shooting sperm into Chris’s hand, on his own stomach and Chris’s torso.

Chris bit his neck and let out a loud moan when he blasted inside the condom, convulsing with his whole body. Chris’s mouth came down on Dom’s, he grabbed Dom’s bottom lip with his teeth and pulled, before letting his tongue to swim into Dom’s mouth. The aftershock of the orgasm was making Dom’s muscles to convulse around Chris’s cock, squeezing it, milking out any residue that was left in it. Chris collapsed on top of Dom, the hot body on body, sweaty skin on skin, sticking to Dom’s sperm spread on his stomach. Chris’s vision was blurred, he couldn’t believe how he felt on top of Dom.

Intense. Different. Euphoric.

Dom was welcoming the weight of Chris’s body on his. His thumb was circling the outlines of Chris’s face and neck. He buried them in the chest hair, that was soft and tickled his finger tip.

Chris stirred up and rolled on his side. “I need to remove the condom, wash up and probably get going.”

“No, stay. Please, spend the night. I want to wake up with you, I want you in my bed, I want to make more love to you.” Dom grabbed Chris’s wrist, pulling him back onto the mattress. He leaned forward and kissed Chris’s shoulder, before letting his fingers wonder back and forth man’s chest.

First, Dom wanted to play it light, so not to scare Chris off and make him run off. He didn’t want to come on too much and too fast, didn’t want to put strings around Chris.

Well, Dom already broke so many of his own rules, but he knew that he would never deny Chris anything. He spoke his mind. “You became my weakness, I’m aching every day for you. I don’t want you when it’s convenient, I want you all the damn time!”

“You decide now- are you in or you’re out. I don’t want to play games. I want you to be mine!” Dom struggled but managed to say what he felt.

“Man, do you even realise, what are you doing to me? Of course, I want to stay, I don’t want to leave here and yes, I want to be exclusive. I want you to be mine and I want to be yours.” Chris put his hand on his heart, as making an undying promise.

Dom felt his chest tightening from that feeling that he didn’t want to name yet. But it was there, and it was strong, overpowering. He hugged Chris and could tell by how the other man leaned into it, that Chris was sensing the same.


	8. chapter eight.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is better than anyone can wish. Guys in a "love bubble", spending all their free time of enjoying each other to the max. Dom's indecent visit to the clinic turns out to be real "fun".

**Chapter eight.**

Chris was sleeping with his leg bent almost up to his belly and his hands under the pillow. It was his favorite sleeping position. He woke up, from the feeling of the soft fingers probing at his opening, tracing their way to his sack and back. The fingers were replaced by hot tongue, lavishly going the same path, and then stopping at his opening, licking at puckered muscle and trying to gain the enter inside. The goosebumps covered his whole body and Chris intuitively pulled his leg even tighter to his stomach. Chris’s hands fisted the sheet, when he moved closer to Dom’s mouth. Fingers joined back in his entrance, Dom found that spongy place inside Chris’s opening that he knew pushed Chris easily to the edge. Dom rubbed the spot with the finger, while his other hand snaked to Chris’s cock to jack him off.

“Dom, oh, fuck…” Chris was trying to hold off, to keep the sensual assault going for as long as he could, but Dom’s strokes on his cock intensified and the overwhelming feel of his wet tongue was to much.

Chris burst, his body tensed as he came into Dom’s hand.

He cried out loud, “You’re going to be the death of me!” Chris turned around, grabbed Dom and pulled him on the top of himself.

“Good morning. I’m good, aren’t I?” cocky grin spread on Dom’s lips.

“Yes, incredible! I never thought it would be like that with you. The connection I feel, makes everything so much more intense.” Chris cradle his face with both hands, as in wonder.

 _It’s me… I want it to be because of me,_ the selfish thought stroke Dom’s mind, but he couldn’t help it.

“So, we’re officially a couple? No more sneaking? Open and free?” Dom let a little teaser to see Chris’s reaction.

He wanted Chris to be his and he wanted to be Chris’s, so that everyone would know that they were together. He felt as Chris’s body stiffened up against his, definitely not ready to come out with their relationship, to tell everyone about them. And Dom decided that he will wait, it wasn’t the time to push him. Chris didn’t hide his sexuality, but it was about getting into relationship and admitting it -that was the part that troubled him.

Dom curled closer to Chris’s chest and outlined it with kisses. His biggest wish at the moment was to stay like that, for as long as possible with the man that he belonged with. Chris’s stomach made a gurgling sound.

“Sorry.”

Dom’s laughed lightly, “That’s not you, it’s mine.”

“Is it?” Chris’s face showed relief.

“Uh-uh, nope!” Dom kept teasing him, until his own stomach produced the same noise.

They laughed, so happy, so content. They decided to get some food and get on with their day. Dom went into the kitchen to examine the contents of his fridge. He was satisfied with his findings and while Chris was showering, got busy, cooking the breakfast. His chef skills didn’t go today further than frying some bacon, whipping basic French omelette and toast. He brewed fresh coffee and got the creamer and butter from the fridge. The homemade gooseberry jam and leftover biscuits were placed on the table and he looked over at his efforts with a satisfied smile. Then he remembered that he had some orange juice in the fridge. Dom bent over, looking inside for a drink.

At that moment Chris, who quietly came out of the shower, wearing only the towel around his waist, slapped his ass, making him to jump up and spill some contents from carafe on the floor.

“Hey, lover.” Chris smiled at him and grabbed the toast from the plate. “Are you going to wash up now, or we can eat?” he loudly crunched on a piece of toasted baguette.

“There’s always the third option, you know?” Dom smiled slyly at Chris.

“Hey, I’m not that easy, you have to do more than a breakfast to get me into bed.” Chris joked back, good-humoredly.

“Considering, that you’ve been inside me twice last night, I think I deserve some retribution? Don’t you think? It would be just fair. You have to let me be in control as well, I promise- you won’t regret it!” their repartee was quick and offbeat.

“I will consider your request, but for now -I’m really running late. I gotta get going. Will I see you later?” Chris grabbed a banana and some grapes, kissing Dom, who stood between him and the kitchen table.

“I will be home. Not waiting, as you would wish me to, but if you’ll decide to pop-up – it would be nice.” Said Dom as kind of the matter, trying to stay aloof, but inside wishing for nothing else more, than that.

“Ok, then it’s a date. I’ll bring dinner. Will pick up something from the bistro, don’t want you to be stuck in the kitchen. We can find something more important to do for those hands of yours!” said Chris from the doorway, blew another kiss to Dom and went to dress up.

The minute the door closed behind his lover, Dom did a little pirouette in the kitchen. He was elated. He looked at the clock on the wall and promised himself not to count the hours, before he could see Chris again, but the knowledge that he would-made his heart keep dancing.

While Chris was at work, Dom tried to keep busy. He went to visit his neighbor- the guy that produced the wine they drank the other day. His thoughts about investing in winemaking and making it profitable could bring a lot of good results. First of all- it would keep Dom occupied with something new and interesting, and if it will work out- it could bring some interest and business opportunities to the region, which could help to develop a tourism as well. He wanted to make the place open to the world, the beauty surrounding it could work perfectly in the future as a source of resort business. The weather and the whole climate would be perfect for it. He definitely would have to go back to New York to discuss that with his business partners, but first of all, he needed to start small- making sure that the winery was able to produce enough assortment and quantity for sales.

-//-

Their life was moving with the warping speed. During the day they would be busy dealing with their regular stuff, but every night and some occasional days off for Chris, they just couldn’t take their hands off each other. Chris pretty much spent every free minute of his life at Dom’s cottage, where two of them were free to indulge in a frequent and delicious lovemaking sessions. Especially Dom. He always had a very healthy sexual appetite, but this, whatever they had, was out of his normalcy. Everything would set him off- Chris, sitting in chaise lounge, peacefully reading newspaper, Chris -rinsing dishes at the sink, with sleeves of his shirt rolled up to the elbows…

One morning, they were having breakfast and Chris was eating a crunchy biscuit, he bit into it and the noise of the wafer on his teeth got Dom’s attention. Chris, innocently smiled at his lover, but Dom jumped him, right there, right at and on the table. They tumbled with their clothes, the things went flying all over the kitchen, Dom was like a hungry beast, ravishing his lover with intense, scorching need. After they were done, he had to listen till the end of the day, how Chris jokily grumbled about crumbs in his crack.

Dom would use any opportunity to brush on his lover’s round, dazzling butt, sliding his hands down it and grabbing those supple half moons with his fingers.

With time passed by, Chris slowly, unintentionally moved to Dom’s house, to save them hassle of running between two different places.

Dom missed Chris all the time. Once, he got bored and restless, so he sneaked into the hospital at the end of one day.

Chris was just changing out of his work clothes, when the soft knock on the door and then low creak of it opening, let him know that someone came in. He was half naked and just grabbed his lab coat to put on, before Dom was all over him, like an ivy around an oak tree. Chris relaxed, seeing that it wasn’t one of the nurses or a patient and turned to look at his lover.

“Do you know, that it was always the fantasy of mine to get fucked by a young, sexy doctor in a white lab coat and the stethoscope hanging from his neck, covering his tasty nipples?” Dom murmured seductively into Chris’s ear, lightly biting on it.

It made Chris to groan and he whispered, “What are you doing here, you sex maniac? Stop, someone might see us!”

“So, what? Everyone finally knows that we’re together, don’t they?”

“Yes, of course, but it’s my place of work and what you’re doing right now is highly inappropriate, even though, extremely hot!”

“Hahaha, I can see that I am getting a standing ovation anyway, “ Dom cupped Chris’s bulge, growing dangerously fast in his lover’s pants.

Dom started to laugh loudly, “Ladies and gents, well, gents mostly. Let me introduce you to the wild side of Mr. Proper- Christopher Wolstenholme everyone, behold and admire!”

“Dom, cut it out,” Chris was trying to get out of his grip.

“Stop wriggling, then, let me take another look,” he turned Chris to face him and planted cavernous kiss on his lover’s mouth.

Chris, wearing his white lab coat over the naked torso- that what’s Dom longed to see and the level of hotness just floored him. How Chris could be so serious and determined at what he did for living and so sinfully, shamelessly seductive in other planes of his life? He was a picture of pure masculinity and lavishness, with the body of a sex god and the smile of the saint. And his scent…Dom couldn’t describe it, but the minute it filled his nostrils, he was a goner… Chris’s light cologne brought countless sensory memories to mind—all of them sexy and mind it- a bit filthy. He exhaled a shaky breath.

“Get your pants off…” Dom growled bluntly.

Dom’s hands exposed solid frame of Chris, muscles rippled as Chris clenched his stomach away from the waistband of a pair of white linen trousers. Two swift motions of Dom’s hands had the garment pooling at his ankles. And then Chris walked out of them, shamelessly strutting nude in the middle of the office, taunting his lover with the swivel of his perky bum.

“ _What a male to be with”_ Dom’s mind was playing along with his crotch…

Dom kept looking at Chris, transfixed at those V-Lines: besides being smoldering hot and fun to look at, the V-zone was a hotbed of pleasure for his lover. It was a huge turn on, because it would get Chris front-row tickets to watching Dom stimulate him, and it was an easy pit stop on the way to bonetown.

Dom dropped to his knees and gave to Chris what he really wanted: a view of Dom’s head as he moved down on him. Starting from his belly button, he used his fingers and nails to trace a line down from Chris’s happy trail, stopping before he hit the groin. Then he retraced his steps but used his tongue to trace a “V” shape from Chris’s hips to right above his cock. Dom drew it out and really teased him until Chris couldn’t take it any longer. Chris bit his lip, trying to supress the moan to the minimum volume, but his shaky legs and fingers twitched in Dom’s hair, were a good indicator of how much he enjoyed that unsuspected impromptu blow job at his workplace. The danger of being discovered any minute, made it even more spicier, if it was possible. Dom looked at Chris from underneath his bangs, at his muscular body, the way he tilted his head that showed the jaw that could be cut out of stone, the almond shaped amber eyes that were covered right now with dark, soft lashes, long legs and the little glint of piercing on his nipple.

_God, he was a great fuck, but there was more to him than his physical abilities. He had the biggest heart and was exceptional at everything that he did._

He loved to touch Chris’s body. He did it constantly, just playing with the ripped muscles on slightly hairy chest, biting into delicious shoulder, twirling his tongue around the earlobes or sucking on little vein, pulsating under the bronzed skin of Chris’s neck. Every time they were separate from each other- Chris’s kissable lips and his skilled hands, the tone of his voice with it’s sexy seriousness in it- all of it was on Dom’s mind constantly.

It drove Dom mad, he usually didn’t go for serious, but it wasn’t the case with Chris.

And right now, Chris was making the sounds that would make the person on the death bed to come alive and pass out again, just from hearing it. Dom got another of his signature sighs by doubling his efforts. He was milking the moment before Chris would slip into an escalating, earth-melting climax. Chris’s eyes were transfixed on him, fingers borrowed deep in his scalp and he had slight tremor in his legs. With few more pulls of his lips Dom made Chris buckle his hips and thrust deep into his mouth, letting out the growl. Dom slammed him into the wall and rammed his finger into Chris’s entrance, making man thrash and convulse in a teeth-clenching explosion. The milky, salty liquid spurt into his mouth and he kept going, until the last drop of it was wriggled out of his lover and the man slowly slopped down to the floor. Dom savoured the slightly metallic taste in his mouth and lowered himself to sit with his back to the wall beside his lover.

Chris opened his eyes and with guilty smile on his face whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Dom was smiling back at him.

“For being selfish. I want to…” he tiredly shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it babe. I came here, I wanted to taste you and I did, and you can put “I owe you” on you list of things for later. I had fun, and I’m glad that you did too.” Dom, smoothed Chris’s hair with gentle glides.

“But, you must be bursting at seams. You poor man, you made me come and I didn’t even get a chance to touch you properly” Chris was still apologising.

“Hey, relax, we have all night ahead. And you will get a chance to be nice to me, not once.” winking, Dom tugged the little jewel on Chris’s nipple. “Or you can sketch me, in a la nude.” He laughed, “Yea, I know your little dirty secret, saw your sketchbook that you left in my pad. Well I have to admit, that you definitely had good grades of human’s body anatomy.” Now he was giggling openly, seeing how Chris cocked his brows.

“Fuck off. Snooping bastard!” was the answer to his teasing.

“OK, OK. Don’t twist yourself into knots, I’m just teasing. I really liked those though- you really are talented.” Dom heavily stood up and stretched his hand to Chris, trying to pull him up.” Let’s clean and disinfect you, and get you home, Picasso.”

Chris sighed and stood up with Dom’s help. “I don’t think I need any clean up though, you did a pretty stellar job at it. Managed not to spill a drop, didn’t you?” now, it was Chris’s turn to pull Dom’s leg.

“Ungrateful. Now you totally owe me. Prepare yourself. I’m expecting a royal treatment tonight!” Dom made a “royal pose”. Then he burst in laughter, followed with a peck on Chris’s nose. “Here, have some taste of yourself too!” he leaned into a real, languishing kiss.


	9. Chapter nine.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is simple and easy. It's sex and a little admition of feelings. Short too.

**Chapter nine.**

Dom never being in a long- lasting relationship. Never met anyone who held his interest for more than a few months. But there was something about Chris, he just couldn’t pinpoint the fascination he had with the man. The only thing he knew for sure, that he would’ve pursued Chris for as long as it would take, and the more Chris would push him off, he would be pulled in even more.

Thank God, Chris was that kind of crazy that would leave them both sweaty and elated in bed, and that was the point. He wouldn’t move on, until Chris would’ve reciprocated, he was stuck on that man. And he had him. All to himself, which made him to fall asleep happy every night in the arms of his lover.

The memories of last night were still fresh in his mind… Chris came after work and Dom started to kiss him right on the doorstep. They stumbled into the house, without interrupting their embrace. Moments later Dom removed Chris’s clothes and had a healthy dollop of flowery scented lotion on his hands. He started to caress Chris’s groin. It felt much better to Chris than his own palm stroking his dick. Dom fondled Chris from shaft to tip and back down, hitting every bit in between with magnificent, steady pressure nearly the match for Chris’s own grip. Dom didn’t neglect his sack, he wanted to pay attention to every detail. Dom wanted to make sure that any unsaid demand of Chris’s body would be satisfied.

The snick of Dom’s zipper sliding down broke through the brief hush. Chris drew in a long breath to steady his nerves. Next came the rustling of fabric and then a dull thud against the floor. The soft whisper of Dom’s shirt landing atop the jeans was like a gunshot, heralding the start of the race.

“Faster then,” Chris said, a split second prior to pouncing Dom. The bed bounced and Dom’s insides wobbled with it. Warm hands closed over Dom’s knees, guiding them as Chris spread his legs.

“Chris, I want you.”

“Just simple like that? You want me and here I am, in your bed, ready to follow your every whim. How do you do it? How do you make me to give in so easily?”

“What? That surprises you?”

“Nah”, joked Chris, implying, “totally used to you being the open book and sharing your thoughts with me.”

“I’m a man of many talents!” Dom's hands didn't leave Chris's body even for a second, enticing him more and more.

“Always busting my balls. You’re lucky that I like you. Especially like that.” With that he grabbed the condom out of the night table. “But first- I need to taste you. You have a very imposing cock to not to relish it with some attention.”

His lips circled around the tip of Dom’s engorged and leaking head. Soft gasp from his lover gave him the indication that his move was very much appreciated. Dom sucked the breath in, raising his hips up and burrowing his hands in Chris’s hair. The hot flash of pleasure swept across his whole body, Chris’s mouth was heaven. The way he used his lips, his tongue and his teeth, was blinding Dom with the sensory overload. Dom wanted to hold onto Chris for the dear life. His hands drifted to trace the shoulders and strong neck of the man who was assaulting and ravishing him to convulsing trembles. His legs flailed, shudder went over his torso, he yanked Chris head off, knowing that he won’t be able to stop the madness and wanting to prolong that blissful torture.

Chris understood and gave Dom a second to gather himself. He exhaled hotly and rolled the condom on. The lotion was used to smooth the texture of the sheath and to lubricate Dom’s entrance. Chris gave him a lavish kiss and slowly probed pinky flesh with the tip of his cock.

“Chris, stop teasing me. I beg of you. You got me so ready, there’s no need to be timid now!” Dom wriggled his butt as close as possible to the object of his affection.

“Oh, my god, Dom. Your mouth. You can kill erection in the less strong man. But not me, I’m just starting with you, darling. Prepare to get punished!”

“Eh, what could possibly threaten me? God doesn’t want me, and Devil is not finished with me yet, so whatever you have in your mind, please, unleash it! I’m not looking for subtlety.” His grin was crinkling his eyes, when he shot a very sly look from half-closed lids...

“Come here, you sinner!” Chris pulled him tight and plundered deep inside, making Dom exhale loudly. Dom closed his eyes for a second and flexed his muscles, letting the burn turn into a slow rising rush of pleasure. Chris pinned Dom’s hands down and latched on one of his nipples with the greedy mouth. He left his professional, cool demeanor out, the moment he stepped into the house. He was a beast in the bedroom in the best way possible- hungry, rough, powerful and insatiable. And he was going to engorge on Dom’s body, until he will satiate both of them. Dom’s hands were on Chris’s neck, pulling Chris’s mouth to his nipples, he liked the feeling of the teeth on his aroused flesh, his own cock filling with the hotness from the friction of Chris’s skin and soft hair.

Chris did one sharp swap and managed to turn Dom on his stomach, without drawing out from inside of Dom. Dom grabbed the headboard and pulled himself higher, standing on his knees, arching his back. He started to move his butt in the same rhythm with which Chris was plunging into him, every time letting Chris to hit deeper, harder.

“Shit, Chris, you’re killing me. God, you’re so big, oh, I love your dick!” Dom was fervently clenching his teeth to hold screams inside.

Dom was always vocal during sex. He liked to describe what he felt and what he wanted, but with Chris they were on the same wavelength, he didn’t need to voice his needs. Chris stretched his hand and curled it around Dom’s dick. The guttural sound burst out from the depth of his throat, he impaled Dom’s entrance and stilled for a second, waiting for a sign from his partner that Dom was close to the climax. He dragged his hand up and down Dom’s shaft and by the tremble it caused, understood, that Dom was fast approaching the ecstasy of orgasm. Chris heaved one more time and raptured in devastating, shocking peak. His own groans mixed with Dom’s harsh moans filled the room. Dom spurted in Chris’s hand with smoldering bliss. His knuckles became white from gripping the headboard with an enormous strain and his head fell to his chest, while Chris continued volatile strokes and kept coming, pulsating inside Dom.

They fell on the bed. Chris still inside and they laid like that, trying to regain consciousness and steady their gushed breaths. After a while, Chris carefully withdrew from Dom and turned his lover to face him. He took Dom’s face with both hands and gifted him with soft, but passionate kiss.

“Thank you.” His eyes were half closed, and his face was glowing from the sheer contentment.

“No, thank you.” Dom responded in the soft voice, “I’ve never experienced anything like that. You were so generous!” delirious smile was playing on his lips.

“You are so irresistible, it is easy to want you, and to please you is so gratifying, just have your luscious mouth on mine- is a biggest gift I could dream of. And you gave me your body, so gracefully! So, yes, thank you!” his hands slipped to Dom’s neck, down to his torso, making some light circular motions on the velvety skin.

Dom took his hands and kissed Chris’s palms “You’re so addicting, your scent so carnal and sensual, I want to wrap myself into you and never let go. I know, it’s a huge cliché to say this right after sex, but I think I’m in love with you. You’re my dream man. I found my fantasy and you made it a reality!”

Chris’s eyes were shining with a bright light, coming from depth of his soul. “I thank god, that you’re not a dream, you’re living, breathing treasure. And you’re mine! “he embraced Dom to his warm body, his heart still thumping with crazy speed. They kept lazily stroking and kissing each other, lulling their spent bodies into euphoric sleep.


	10. Chapter ten.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is smiling at the two lovebirds. Even nature around them is happy and content. A good news comes from the hospital and puts everyone in a very good mood. This chapter is short and sweet, just like the characters in the story. Enjoy.

**Chapter ten.**

The summer was in its zenith. The cerulean sky was emulated by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The grass was the precise colour of deep emerald. The garden and wild flowers of all the colours of the rainbow, were blooming and sending the sweet aroma of their nectar into the air. The bumblebees and butterflies were dancing their intricate waltz before ascending to scoop the sweet liquid from corollas between the petals.

The nature was an idyllic setting for the two men that lived in the cottage at the sea. They were in a bliss, drunk on love and elated of being together. They enjoyed their easy conversations in the flower garden, complimented with a bottle of wine and quality French cheeses or leisurely naps in the hammock stretched between two trees.

They would take long walks down to the beach, where the sea water lapped slowly, laced with white lace of foam at the end of the white silky sand. They would make love under starry sky and then swim in the soft waters, escaping from the steamy night air. They would whisper words of ardour and desire to each other, making stunning revelations of each other’s body and savor the overconsuming abandon of affectionate feelings.

Chris basically moved in with Dom. They would spend their days, dreaming of each other when Chris was at work and Dom was working from home on his new winery venture. And then they would meet for dinner and spend the nights, entwined in each other, having mind blowing sexual escapades.

Chris would scoop his lover in his hands and nuzzle his head into Dom’s neck, inhaling the enchanting scent of him when they would fall asleep – satiated, content, happy.

Seriously, those guys were just a picture-perfect image of love, romance and sex. It seemed, that nothing or no one can come between them and spoil their heavenly enclave.

But life had its own plans for them, the ones that nobody could predict…

-//- 

Chis called one morning, bubbling with excitement and exhilaration. When Dom answered the phone, he couldn’t even understand what it was all about.

As it turned out, Chris called to let Dom know, that he just met with two young doctors, who came to the clinic and brought the paperwork that recommended them as two interns for the hospital. Chris couldn’t wait to introduce them to Dom, and to thank him for arranging all this, for making it happened. So, after he stuttered joyful news, Dom promised to stop by at the hospital in the afternoon, when the newly arrived would get acquainted with all the staff and would finish with their orientation. He knew, that Chris would be busy, showing them the ropes and promised his lover that he would take care of accommodations and arrange the car for newcomers.

Dom was happy to help Chris and quickly picked up the enthusiastic mood from him, knowing how much easier it would be for Chris to run the clinic and the hospital with the help of two young specialists.

At noon Dom arrived at the hospital, as promised and found that Chris was still busy with rounds and introducing his new colleagues to the hospital rules and schedules.

When they finally finished, they joined Dom in the garden, where Dom was playing with some kids that were patients at the hospital.

The new doctors happened to be brother and sister, actually- they were twins, gorgeous, young siblings. They both had a jet-black hair; alabaster skin and the most striking azure eyes Dom had ever seen. They were tall, with a slim build and had pleasant soft manners.

Patrick (Pat) and Patricia (Trish)- (their parents definitely were not short of sense of humor) introduced themselves and thanked Dom for helping them to relocate and to settle down. They were very excited to start their careers and learn as much as possible from Chris. The four of them arranged to meet after work in the local bistro for drinks.

Dom was so happy to see how excited Chris was, he thanked the higher powers that Chris liked those two that much. The best part of this arrangement was- that Chris would have a little extra time off, which Dom was planning to use as much as he could (cue filthy thoughts).

On their way home, the sly smile kept playing on Dom’s lips.

“What are you grinning about?” Chris looked at him sideways, not taking his eyes of the road.

“You’re in the good mood. It’s easy to be in the good mood around me, huh? One of those days you will admit that you love being with me, no, that you actually love me.” the mischievous smile didn’t disappear.

“Bastard, you’re busting my balls?” Chris had a cocky grin of his own and the smile curled his lips.

“It’s easy to bust them, and later I’m planning to do something more intricate to them…” Dom rolled his eyes, trying to get a hold of Chris’s own.

“Don’t hold your breath…” Chris answered naughtily.

“Or what? Would you give me mouth-to-mouth, doctor?” Dom didn’t let go easily.

Chris just shook his head, lost for words and laughed openly. He wanted to cling to that easiness between them. “It probably would be easier than getting rid of the body.” he let slip from his mouth.

It was Dom’s turn to laugh, “Fucker! I’ll remember that! Ok, I wouldn’t want to get too cheesy on you and force you into mouth-to-mouth or digging a hole. When do we have to be at the bistro?”

“Oh, I think we have a few hours to relax, shower and change into something comfortable. It’s just drinks, so no rush.” Chris already planned in his mind, how to use the shower time…

-//-

After few weeks passed by, Pat and Trish completely settled down. They loved their house and enjoyed their work a lot. Dom invited them to dinner and after their schedules worked out, so they all were free, the four of them gathered in his cottage.

Before that, Chris finally move the rest of his stuff to Dom’s, considering that he spent all his free time there anyway. Dom’s cottage was closer to the hospital and Chris loved relaxing in the little garden after grueling days when he was dealing with patients and running the place.

Chris still needed to go on his monthly visits to surrounding clinics to see patients and do some home visits and consultations. So, the dinner happened right before his leave.

The brother and sister arrived on time and Trish went straight to the kitchen, to see if she can help Dom with anything, while Pat and Chris went to the garden and had some wine, talking about the latest development in Chris’s research. Dom and Trish finished in the kitchen and they all sat down to dinner.

The twins were a very pleasant company, the evening went splendidly and after Chris went over the details of things that should be done, while he would be away, they said goodnight to their hosts.

Chris asked Dom what he thought of the couple and how they seemed to him. Dom complimented them and assured Chris that hospital would be in good hands while he would be away. They finished another bottle of wine, lazily talking about everything and nothing. They were so content with each other, so breathy and when they went to bed, the sex was a perfect finish to the evening.


	11. Chapter eleven.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> San new from home, disrupted Dom's life. He had to leave for a while and came home to a very upsetting surprise. The jealousy is a hard feeling to harbour, it could destroy the best relationship.

**Chapter eleven.**

The bad news from home struck Dom unexpectedly.

His beloved grandmother had passed away. Dom had to fly home for a week for the funeral and the reading of her will. Dom’s presence was necessary. He wasn’t happy about it at all, but it was his responsibility to the family and he couldn’t get out of it, there was no way. Plus, he was really sad from losing the woman who basically raised him and was always so kind and supportive of him.

He discussed all that with Chris and his lover was adamant that Dom had to go. He knew that he would be leaving on his monthly obligatory visits to other clinics and was ready to put Dom’s interest first.

After Dom left, Chris even stopped coming to empty home, occupying all his time with work and spending nights continuing his research that he was working on for the last five years.

The week in the city flew fast for Dom, despite that he missed Chris so much. After all arrangements were made for the funeral and Dom’s grandmother was buried in the private family tomb, they gathered in the lawyer’s office for the reading of her will. The lady Howard left her business empire, all her assets, including two art galleries, her real estate in different countries and a huge amount of money to her favourite grandson. Dom was touched and honored at the same time. He became preoccupied with the thoughts of what to do next, regarding the business. Logically, his presence was required- to be able to run the company. If he would have come to the decision to sell it, he still needed to be in the country for that.

He felt like a thick fog covered his brain, he couldn’t just leave everything he had with Chris and come back, trying to lead his previous life as nothing ever happened. That dilemma rendered him sleepless and irritated. He couldn’t wait to get back to his lover, fall into his hands and forget, even if for a few moments, about everything and everyone.

Dom arrived back late in the evening and asked the cab driver to take him straight to the hospital. He wanted to surprise Chris and honestly- couldn’t wait until Chris will get home from work. He grabbed his travel bag, paid the guy and went straight to the clinic. One of the nurses on the night shift, noticed Dom right away and told him, that Chris was in the lab, working on his research. She also complained that he slept in his office and barely ate and that worried the staff. Dom dropped his bag and borrowing one of the lab coats, went straight to meet his lover.

He opened the door and stopped abruptly, seeing the scene behind the glass. Chris was standing in the front of the wall screen and was showing something on the MR image to Patrick. He was talking animatedly and had a big smile on his face. The young doctor was looking at Chris with pure admiration, his eyes were glued to his mentor and there was something in his expression that made Dom just stop in his tracks and watch them. Patrick’s mouth formed a big smile, his shining eyes were following every Chris’s move, he was absolutely wrapped in something they were discussing, and Dom could interpret all of it only as, Patrick having developed a huge crush on Chris. And he wasn’t trying to hide it. He was making those big puppy eyes at Dom’s lover, adoring and worshipping him. Salivating…

_“God, I’m being crazy. There is no reason for me to get jealous. And even if Patrick feels something towards Chris, Chris would never act on it. He is not that kind of a person. I’m just making it up. It’s my mind playing dirty tricks on me, because I don’t want, no- I wouldn’t share him with someone else!”_

But then Chris sat down and they both looked at something on the computer screen and Dom saw how Patrick, maybe accidentally, but probably on purpose, touched Chris’s hand, brushing his fingers on the hand that was holding the computer mouse. Chris didn’t notice the move. He was so immersed in the object on the screen, but Dom saw it. He saw, how the corners of Patrick’s mouth moved up in a shy smile and his eyes became glued to Chris’s mouth.

Dom felt a strong tug in his heart, it skipped a beat. The uneasy sensation filled his mind and the wave of strong jealousy made his mouth sour. He could only see a straight threat to his relationship, acknowledging to himself, that Patrick and Chris would make a beautiful couple and he might lose his lover to the new and excited, eager to please, young colleague.

Dom turned around and quietly left the lab, without letting Chris know that he was there. He didn’t know what to do. He felt ashamed, as if he spied on Chris, but on his way home he kept replaying the scene that he observed before, and other gruesome scenarios were popping in his head. He couldn’t stop the image of Chris in the arms of another man, bodies flushed in the passionate embrace, faces distorted with sexy desire.

 Now, when his worst suspicions that he had before he left to New York proved to be right, he is being struck with disappointment and bitterness. It wasn’t how he imagined their reunion after his return. He was expecting to surprise Chris and make his man jump from delight of seeing Dom again. He was lost, first time in his life, not sure what he should do, when he stepped out quietly and went home, waiting for Chris to come back from work…

The thoughts of all that might’ve happened during his absence, were bothering him to tears. When he finally decided to say nothing without a concrete proof, he picked up the phone and called Chris’s office to let him know that he was back.

-//-

Before Dom left for New York he started to feel that something wasn’t right, he had that nagging feeling that something concerning their relationship, has been happening. But he couldn’t put the finger on what it was exactly. Just a premonition of something bad and possibly disastrous…

Chris was packing a small suitcase for his leave in the morning. Their goodbye was out of kilter, even when usually, Dom couldn’t get enough of Chris- the sex was spoiled by the absent mind of Dom, who couldn’t get over the troublesome thoughts.

He noticed Patrick’s strange fixation on Chris. The young man followed Chris around, called him on his mobile, constantly was in touch with him. Dom had to figure out how he would bring the conversation about Patrick to Chris’s attention. The jealousy slipped into their relationship, and only Dom knew about it. Chris was unaware and had no inclination of Dom’s recent mood swings. He was walking on eggshells around Dom, thinking that his partner was just sad with the lost of his Granny, but even that didn’t change the things between them. Dom was just rolling his eyes, every time Chris mentioned Patrick, or would fall into dangerous silence, turning his back and making Chris wonder, what did he say that was so offensive or inappropriate.

Dom was worried about all the devotion Patrick was showing to Chris and it bothered him tremendously. Patrick was young, gorgeous, flirtatious and free. Chris and Patrick had so much in common, they both were specialists in the same field. He blamed himself for inviting Patrick into their life. Dom was resentful, blinded by the impression of possible attraction between them. He wasn’t used to losing. His relationship with Chris was very different from the ones he had before.Previously, in his other life, he was always the one who dictated the rules, choosing how and when to leave when he was starting to lose the interest. But with Chris, everything was on an unfamiliar and new terms. Chris still didn’t say the “words”. Dom didn’t find yet, what place Chris given him in his life. And it was unsettling. It wasn’t in Dom’s nature to beg for something, but he wanted Chris, he would not lose him, no matter what it took.

Or so he told himself…

He couldn’t get those thoughts out of his mind, couldn’t sleep, the constant worry made him irritable and anxious. And he took it on Chris. When Chris insisted that Dom would fly home, deal with his family situation and refused to go with Dom, backing it up as being busy with the clinic and hospital stuff, it irked Dom massively. It was a stupid argument, about something absolutely nonsensical, but Dom made it even worse by accusing Chris in paying more attention to his job, than to him.

After Chris left, Dom, who still said nothing, just laid sleepless in the bed, going over and over the last words that he said, before Chris left on his trip.

The phone call made him jump, he thought maybe it was Chris, calling to clear out that vagueness, to make sure that there was nothing wrong between them.

He picked up the phone and heard his father’s voice. It was one hard conversation, they had. His father was brusque and demanded from Dom to tell him, what was going on with him. He wanted to know when Dom planned to come home to stay and take care of business that was left in his care. He said, that he was fed up with his childish behaviour, that if Dom wasn’t going to straighten up and become serious about his life, he wouldn’t have a choice, beside removing him from the board of directors and leaving him on his own.

Dom was distraught and angry. He told his father, that his grandmother left everything to him, he was her heir and that he couldn’t give his father the answer until he will figure it out for himself. The conversation turned into another shouting match between them and Dom just hung up on his father.

He needed to find out if he had any chances of the future with Chris at all, or if he should just leave and forget that anything happened between them and come back home to his old life. He was upset beyond control and needed answers…


	12. Chapter twelve.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the beginning of horrible things, that will unfurl in the next ones. It is a hard one- Dom is lost and make an impossible mistake. Bad, bad judgement and alcohol...terrible mix.

**Chapter twelve.**

He couldn’t stay in bed. With Chris still out on his leave, he decided that he needed to find Patrick and confront him.

So, with that in mind, he dialed the guy’s number and asked him to meet him in the local bar. He didn’t care that it was almost a midnight, he knew, that if he won’t get to talk to Patrick, he would just go insane.

They met in half and hour. Dom was nursing his second drink, when Patrick finally showed up at the bar. Patrick sat down at the bar and asked for the glass of wine.

He turned to face Dom and plainly said, “Dom, I’m here. I’m listening. What is going on?”

Dom lifted his glass and swallowed a big gulp. He put the drink on the bar and closing his eyes just blurted out to Patrick,” I needed to see you, because I can’t take it anymore. Just get on with it and tell me – do you have strong feelings for Chris?” He held his breath, waiting for the answer from the guy. He didn’t know, what to do and how he should react if his suspicions will be confirmed. He closed his eyes, as waiting to be struck in the chest with the iron fist.

Patrick cleared his throat and after a pause shakily said,” Uhh, no. I don’t have feelings for Chris. In fact, I’m infatuated with someone else.”

Dom took a deep breath, after hearing that, and looked at the guy with a huge relief. “Oh, thank God. I’m sorry, but I saw the way you look at him. And Chris- he is so amazing that it would be totally understandable if you had an affection for him. And it’s a common thing, to have a crush at workplace where you spend so much time together, and plus Chris is you mentor!” He was ready to hug the guy, he was so happy and thankful, he was basically blubbing.

And then, Patrick made him to lose his ability to speak when he plainly said, “No, it’s not Chris. It’s you, Dom! I have a crush on you!”

“Meee…..meee! Oh, my god.” He looked at the mand next to him, bewildered and stunned.

 _“I was so wrong, completely misread the signals! I feel like a complete idiot. Oh, my, what did I do! Drunken idiot- you got your wish, now what?”_ he almost choked on his Armagnac.

“I’m sorry,” Patrick looked at him guiltily, “I shouldn’t have said anything, but you are so incredible, sophisticated and beautiful, I can’t stop thinking of you. I…I should go, forgive me!” and he jumped off the bar stool.

 _“Poor guy! God, what should I do. It is not his fault. We should talk. Yes- talking will make it better!”_ Dom was determined to remedy this whole situation.

“No, Patrick, please, stay. Let’s just navigate through this together. You know, I’m in love with Chris and we are a couple. And you’re so young, and handsome, I’m sure that…”

“Please, Dom. Don’t say that there’s a gorgeous guy just around the corner, waiting to find me! I just can’t take it, please!” Patrick interrupted Dom, giving him wretched look.

“I am so sorry, Patrick. I really didn’t know. I shouldn’t have, you know... even started all of this. You probably hate me now? It’s just- I was so jealous and it made me to do a stupid thing. I should have known better. I just don’t want you to leave like that, can we just sit and drink? Please?” He motioned to bartender for more drinks.

-//-

Dom shrugged, woken up by the strong feeling of something gone terribly wrong. He noticed a hand on his waist, and with horror realised, that it wasn’t his lover’s hand. He was in bed with somebody, but it wasn’t Chris. He jumped off the bed to find… Patrick, sleeping peacefully next to him. He looked around and found a few bottles of wine, empty glasses and _oh, god_ \- a condom, all of it scattered around the bed.

He collapsed on the floor and grabbed his head with both hands. _“God, what did I do? How could I do it?”_ he was rocking back and forth on his knees, praying that it was just another nightmare, that what he was seeing- wasn’t true.

He realized that he did the worst thing ever, something that for sure will ruin his relationship with Chris. He did something, that he suspected Chris of and for what he was angry with him.

The nightmare of the situation was too much for him to live through.

_“Why Dom? Why? You’re not a cheater, why did you sleep with another man, who you absolutely don’t care about? And having done that- jeopardised something extremely special that you had in your life. You miserable, foolish man- you destroyed it. Happy now?!”_

Patrick stretched on the bed and opened his eyes. He looked at Dom and realised by the look of pure shock on Dom’s face, that Dom was mortified by what happened between them.

Dom grabbed a sheet and covered himself, feeling ashamed and regretful.

“Dom? Are you ok?” Patrick asked and stopped, understanding how stupid his question might’ve sound.

Dom kept his eyes closed, “Could you please, get dressed and leave?!”

“Dom, can we talk? I don’t know what to do. What happened the other night… are you going to tell Chris about it?” Patrick was stuttering his questions.

“Please, Patrick. I honestly don’t know. It didn’t mean anything! What happened was so wrong! I’m sorry, but I was drunk and wretched. Before we met yesterday, I had a difficult conversation with my father, and the things with Chris, oh, my god, I let him leave being angry at him for nothing. I don’t know. We were always honest with each other, but telling him about this, would be just me- unloading and hurting him. And he really doesn’t deserve it! Please, Patrick, don’t tell anyone about it. I need to think, but now, I really need you to leave. Just go, I’m begging you!” He was on the verge of tears.

Patrick just nodded silently and grabbing another sheet for cover, started to gather his things.

Dom kept averting his eyes. He couldn’t look at the guy, couldn’t understand how and why it happened that he ended in bed with him.

After Patrick left, Dom went to the shower and started scrubbing off the last night. The soapy water was mixing with tears in his mouth, his skin was red and hurt from being scoured to soreness. He couldn’t get off the revolting smell of sex with another man out of his system. He was disgusted with himself and couldn’t even think straight of what he possibly would do when Chris will return. He just wanted to disappear, run, stop existing.

_How he could be so stupid? Was he that desperate? How drunk he was, to do something so atrocious?!_


	13. Chapter thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As I promised- BIG DRAMA! It started to unfurl, it's going to be painful and ugly. And I'm sorry, but this is life and things like that happen all the time. And I feel anxious, please, don't kill me, it's going to get worse...

**Chapter thirteen**.

After Chris got home, the first thing he did, after dropping his travel case, he ran to Dom, who was in the garden and scooped him in his arms. Dom’s body was hot, being under the sun, he smelled like mix of honey and wild flowers. He buried his nose in Dom’s neck and looped his hands around his lover’s springy back.

“Hi” he exhaled in Dom’s hair, “I missed you.”

Dom muscles tightened, he froze up and whirled out of Chris’s embrace. Dom stare was like the one of the deer caught in the tractor beams, he didn’t say anything and looked at Chris sideways. He acted shifty, not letting Chris to touch him, withdrawn and quiet.

Chris didn’t push him, he just asked how he felt and he made some crazy excuse of being upset about the conversation with his father and the dilemma that he needed to deal with.

 _“Uh, so we’re back to gloomy Dom. Well, don’t push him, maybe let him to unload?”_ Chris tried to be understanding and patient.

Dom told Chris that he wanted to go for a run to clear his head, making Chris surprised and disappointed, _“oh, that’s why people run?”_ he thought, but kept it to himself, not wanting to aggravate the mood of his lover.

It was not the greeting he was hoping for when he rushed home, not at all...

Dom disappeared for the rest of the day, just leaving Chris in total darkness and confusion, not able to apprehend what the hell was happening. Chris couldn’t imagine Dom, who was constantly hungry for his body, missing the opportunity to jump right away into the bed and have mind blowing sex, after three days apart. The dreadful feeling settled in his stomach.

After Chris tried to contact Dom for the whole day and worried like crazy that something scary happened to him, Dom finally showed up and Chris lost his temper.

“Is there any fucking point of me asking where you’ve been, or I’m not supposed to know, what is going on with you anymore?!”

“Sorry.” Dom steepled his hands together, dropped them down, then lifted them to hide his face.

“What are you doing Dom?” Chris’s voice broke down, “Not us Dom! Push other people away, smash things, go batshit! But I’m not going to let you sabotage us! You’re going through horrible time, your grandma’s demise, your fall out with your father - all must really undone you! Can we talk, please- get out of your cave!” Chris grabbed Dom, trying to hug him.

Dom wriggled out of Chris’s hands, “I, I just need to take a shower! I’m all icky after the run.” and he darted into the bathroom, leaving Chris speechless.

When Dom, came out of the shower, cloud of steam following him, he found Chris sitting at the table, hands covering the face.

Chris lifted his head and seeing Dom’s distraught look, tiredly said “What?!”

Tears started rolling down Dom’s face, he rubbed his hands together and pressing them to his mouth, whispered, “I cheated on you. I slept with someone else!”

Chris’s face turned to the stone. He stood up, his hands twisted into fists, shoulders went up and his breathing became almost undetectable.

“Chris, say something! I know I fucked up, but do something, don’t just stand there, please! Chris, can you hear me, I love you, it was a mistake, one night that meant nothing. There was a lot of wine and I was so desolate and jealous of you, and stupid. I never thought that something like that could happen…But two days ago, I didn’t care what would happen. I thought that you don’t want me anymore and have someone else in your life. And this guy- he made me feel sexy and wanted and good about myself, so yes- I didn’t care, but I do now. I thought to keep it all from you, but it feels like stealing. I thought that you didn’t need to know, because if I would tell you, I would be just offloading and hurting you, so I can feel better. It’s selfish. But the trouble is- we were always honest with each other about everything. I don’t know if I did the right thing of telling you, but every day, keeping it from you, would steal another piece out of our relationship, until finally there would be nothing left there,” tears were chocking Dom, his hands weaved into a silent prayer.

Chris’s body stiffened so hard, it rivaled marble. “I knew, that something was bothering you, but tell me Dom, I just want to know-how much wine does it take to destroy a relationship? Is it your way of showing how little I mean to you? That at any time you can decide and fuck somebody else, leaving me behind, but then change your mind and crawl back, asking me to forgive and forget?” Chris’s words were dropping like burning coals on Dom’s head.

Dom was shaking like a lonely leaf on autumn tree.

“Who else knows about it? I don’t want the whole hospital gossiping and weighing in this, I think you humiliated me enough. Who was he? Did you at least use protection?! “

Dom just kept shaking his head at each of Chris’s questions, that were shot at him, not able to stop sobbing. He whispered “That guy sought me, and he used me. I became a pawn in his dirty game. And I feel terrible about that, but it is too late to change what happened. I was just worried, that me and you, we wanted different things, that you weren’t planning to stay with me. Our last conversations... I was up all night, thinking, realistically, what is in the future for us and I was jealous as well. Chris, I made a mistake… I was really drunk and it’s all got really convoluted. And I know it sounds ridiculous…I don’t remember much and how it ended up being, well what it was… sorry? “

Chris screamed in pain, “You’re sorry? Come fucking on! It’s a cop out. Yes, I made a mistake for not been vocal or clear about my feelings, but I would never act on it, and definitely not in the way you did! You are a coward. The minute the feelings got a little more intense, more deep or challenging, you ran a mile!”

“I only want to beg for forgiveness from one person that matters to me more than anything and try to rectify that mess I put both of us in.” Dom finally looked Chris in the eyes.

“No, stop, I got you Dom. I got your number. You’re the guy who never had a hard day in his life. Funny, gorgeous, everyone likes you. The guy who commands the attention. You’re used to getting what you want and you did. You got into my life and under my skin. My feelings were real, but for you I was another summer fling. I wanted a partner, I wanted you, but you chose a piss weak way and weasel out of it easily, in the way -breaking my heart!” Chris didn’t choose words, he was laying the hard truth on Dom, slashing his own heart apart too, accepting what happened and ready to tear this page out of his life, sweep this relationship into the stormy waters of the sea.

“Maybe there is something fundamentally wrong with me. I manage to lose everyone who meant something to me all the time. So, I probably shouldn’t blame you. You probably just saw it in the very beginning, that this relationship wasn’t worth a trouble for you and decided that the easiest way to get rid of me- to cheat and to break up, make it understandable. Because you know how much trust means to me, so you just went and broke it!” Chris didn’t hide his anger. He was passing back and forth, his hands curled into fists, ready to hit something, to let the steam out.

“No, please, I was just worried…” Chris didn’t let him to finish.

“Where did it happened? Was it here, “he flicked his hand toward the sofa, “or in your bedroom? In our bed?” he spit the words articulating them with his point finger.

“The bedroom… but let me explain, please!” Dom’s whisper was almost inaudible, he plunged on the chair and covered his face with his hands.

“Well, don’t worry, you don’t have to anymore! All feelings, that I had for you, evaporating so fast that it makes me dizzy!” Chris grabbed another chair and threw it aside. “I can’t even look at you anymore! I can’t waste my emotional energy on you!” with that he turned around and left.

The bitter sobs followed him on the way out of the house.


	14. Chapter fourteen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the drama is continues. Who said that break-ups are easy. It's just you can try to handle it with dignity. So, good luck to the boys, let's see how they managing so far?..

**Chapter fourteen.**

Dom was lost.

He couldn’t stop replaying the awful conversation in his head. He was hurt, because he didn’t get a chance to tell Chris the real truth. Yes, he was jealous because he thought that Patrick wanted Chris and that he confronted the guy to find out that he was the actual subject of his affection. He wanted to try and explain to Chris that he felt stupid and tried to make Patrick to feel better and let him down gently. That they drank a lot and talked for a long time, but he didn’t remember how he ended in the bed with that guy. He wanted to tell Chris, that because he wasn’t sure, how Chris really feel about him and how he saw their future, he worried that he was in situation that held nothing in it. He wanted to let Chris know, that his father gave him the ultimatum, but Dom wanted to be sure, that here was nothing that could hold him back from leaving. And because he was scared to find the answer that would decide the rest of his life- he made the stupidest mistake, absolutely childish and not considered.

The shame he felt was unbearable. The agony of knowing how badly he screwed up, especially after Chris admitted that he loved him and was planning for them to be together- was gutting him. Yes, he wasn’t great at intimacy. When things went wrong he got messed up and confused. He didn’t talk to Chris honestly. He acted out and pushed away. He killed their relationship. He ran away from Chris, when he should’ve run towards him. He ruined everything.

And he knew that Chris was good for him and even that didn’t stop him to ask for help.

He tried to contact Chris, kept calling him, but Chris ignored his calls and Dom was scared to show his face at the clinic.

One day, Chris send the hospital driver to collect and pick up his stuff from Dom’s house, making the break up final.

Dom cried long and hard after the guy left with Chris’s belongings. He knew, that there was nothing left for him to do, just pack his stuff and go home. The thought of never seeing the man he fell in love with was extremely distressing and painful. Dom knew too well, that for him- Chris wasn’t just a fling and the thought that he destroyed this relationship by his own idiocy, that idea was burrowing the hole in his head. He felt wicked, demolished, broken apart. He just wanted to lay down and never wake up, die in his sleep to stop the hurt. He didn’t see any escape from the black sadness that gripped his whole being.

Even if he would leave and return to his busy urban life, he wouldn’t find the rest either. He knew that already.

Life really fucked up people sometimes…

-//-

Chris couldn’t remember when was the last time he slept or ate something. His eyes were getting deep hollows under them and wounded look of grief took a permanent place inside of them.

He was spending even more days at work now, especially after Patrick surprised him with a notice of leave, saying that he wanted to find a job somewhere in the city. Chris was stupefied with unexpected decision of his colleague, who became a relevant part of his work. Chris kept wondering what went wrong.

If he only knew, what Patrick did, he probably would love to get rid of him as soon as possible. Who would want to have the constant reminder and the reason of his break up, being in his sight every day? No, that would hurt too much. But he was still blessedly unaware that Patrick was the man that ruined his relationship.

Nobody knew. The only thing Chris let the staff to find out that he and Dom weren’t together anymore. He wasn’t going to explain, he didn’t want pity from people, so he said that Dom needed to get back home, and they decided not to keep the long-distance involvement. He asked his colleagues to never bring it up to discussion. He toughed it up in the front of them, he wasn’t going to break into pieces and let them feel sorry for him.

They would never understand how you can have the most intense love and bring the worst in each other… they would think - if you love each other- you make it work, simple, just as black and white…

Yes, no one suspected anything wrong, but, how much he struggled inside… He tried to hide it when he was at work, but when at home, he would drive himself insane with being unable to let go.

He still felt Dom’s presence in everything. He couldn’t just forgive him, but he couldn’t forget him either.

Chris’s breath pushed out in a rush, like he participated in a race. Need, want and lust combusted together to light the deadliest of fires, and he wanted nothing more than to let it burn him alive. But he had to fight all those feelings, hard.

And knowing that Dom was so close, literally a few minutes away, wasn’t making it easier. He tried to create the vacuum in his heart, but it didn’t let him. He tried to force his brain to stop thoughts and memories of the past bliss that he was in, from coming to haunt him and it didn’t work out either. How could he just go on, as if nothing happened?

 **“** _With the strong spirit, that’s how you’re going to handle that,_ **”** he told himself. _“The time will help, it would get easier, and right now- just bury yourself in your work and your research, then you won’t have a chance to think about him!”_ he sternly ordered himself.

And so, in two different houses two souls that should have been together were slowly dying from impossible wretchedness…

-//-

_Chris rolled his head to the side, so he could still lean back against the couch but could see Dom too. He had his leg pulled up, his ankle resting on a knee- regular Dom’s pose. He had on a long-sleeved shirt, but like most of what he wore, it was pulled taut across the hard planes of his body. His silky, golden hair looked like he’d run his hand through it over and over; Chris realized it pretty much always looked like that. He hadn’t had his hands in that hair enough, during the time they spent together. He outstretched his hand to touch the lithe body, to slowly glide his hand to the gorgeous swan neck that was beckoning his mouth, filling it with saliva and his hand touched the empty air…_

Chris flinched and opened his eyes. He fell asleep, sitting at the table, his face wrinkled with the seams of his clothes, his head had fallen to lay on his arms crossed on the table.

_“Shit, it was a dream! It felt so real, so alive! I could breath in his scent, swear I felt the heat, coming from his body. God, why, why are you tormenting me?!”_

He was so tired but can’t seem to relax enough to fall asleep and when he did, his mind played a dirty trick on him. His body was overheated. He felt something beside worry, stress and fear. And it was the worst thing. The physical need to have Dom in his arms, to get his body splashed to his chest in the deep kiss, to be inside him- those things made him toss and turn all nights when the only thing he wanted the most, to forget the man who anguished him so deep.

When Chris walked out on Dom, without looking back- he knew that he had enough heartbreak for the rest of his life, that he would never try anything like that again. He had nothing left to give!

He got up and went to the kitchen, absentmindedly opened fridge, closed it and poured himself a glass of cold water. He rubbed the rest of sleep out of his eyes and went back to his papers.


	15. Chapter fifteen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can't decide, who I feel more sorry for- Dom or Chris. They suffer, broken, unhappy, alone. And then, something absolutely unexpecting happens, but it still doesn't help to rectify the situation they found themselves in...

**Chapter fifteen**.

It was the end of the summer. You could feel some changes in the nature around. The crops were getting to be harvested, the gardens were filled with lush fruits and vegetables, and flowers were losing their petals, exposing seeds that ripened inside. The nights were cooler and grass lost its deep emerald color, giving way to bright ambers mixed with uniform green.

Chris was working at home. He wore his loose trainers and hoodie and was peering at the papers in the front of him, scattered around the working desk. The mug with freshly brewed coffee was used as a weight on some of the paper and he would periodically take a deep sip out of it, placing it back on the surface. Light music was streaming from his headphones and his concentration level was very high. So penetrating, that he missed the knock on the door, until it became more persistent. He removed his earphones and went to open the door to whomever was outside, disturbing his work.

Dom was almost ready to leave, when the door to Chris’s house finally open, showing the host with the look of disbelief on his face.

They stood there for a second, Chris holding the door half-open and Dom with his hand still up from the unfinished last knock.

Dom shrugged out of his stupor and with the guilty smile said, “Hi. Sorry, I disturbed you. I’m leaving tomorrow and when I was cleaning the house, I found this…” he handed closed envelope to astonished Chris, who yet didn’t utter a single word.

Chris held out his hand and Dom placed the envelope, saying awkwardly,” I bought it a long time ago for your birthday, and because it’s tomorrow, wanted to give it to you, before I left.”

Chris, still silent, tore the top of the envelope and looked at the gift certificate for horse-riding in the high country for two.

Dom, seeing how Chris’s brows went up in question, hurried with the answer, “I know, it’s for two, so maybe you can invite someone to go with you or I don’t know…if you don’t want it at all, just re-gift it.” He said in almost inaudible tone and turned around to leave.

“Wait…” Chris’s voice sounded broken, “ughmm, thank you, you shouldn’t have. But, thanks. Honestly, I kind of forgotten that tomorrow is my birthday.” The small smile touched his lips.

Chris moved out of the door and put his hand on Dom’s shoulder, “Did you say that you leave tomorrow. Are you going back to New York?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yes, I am. There is nothing left for me to stay for. I just wanted to apologise again for all I did to you and give you your present, in case I will die in a fiery explosion mid-air.” Dom tried to mix-in some humor to dilute the awkwardness of the situation. “But, I’ll leave you alone. I promise, you won’t hear from me anymore. I know, you want to have nothing to do with me after everything.” Dom’s voice broke down and he shifted his legs.

They were standing close to each other, they could feel the warmth of their bodies and smell each other’s scent. Chris’s gaze was fogged with incredible sadness, but there was something else in his eyes.

The unbearable desire for the man standing in the front of him. As always, words seemed out of his reach. Instead of trying to find them, he grabbed Dom by the collar of his jacket and pulled, the same way he had done it so many times before.

Finally, he muttered, “I want to fuck you. I want to forget about everything else in my life and just focus on what I can control. Getting hard and then coming.” He cupped Dom’s already hardening cock through his jeans. “Driving you wild... Thrashing your insides.”

Dom became stiff as a stone, he couldn’t believe his ears. And then he cupped Chris’s already engorged cock through his jeans. “Chris, I want to drive you wild...not you -I want to do that. Tasting you everywhere.” His hand slid around behind Chris to palm his ass.

Like those nights just months ago, Chris’s mouth came down on Dom’s first. It was rushed as their kiss on their first night. Chris’s tongue provoked Dom’s. He pulled back, his teeth digging slightly into Dom’s bottom lip and giving it a pull.

“You bit me that first night.” Chris said and grabbing Dom by the hand dragged him inside the house.

Door closed, lights out, they stumbled into Chris’s bedroom together. There was hardly enough space for them to walk around the bed in the middle. The bed was all they needed. They each kicked out their shoes, stripped off their clothes with hurried hands.

Chris’s body thrummed with desire, quivering and so damned ready to come. Dom’s hand, slightly sweaty from the madness of the whole situation, touched Chris’s chest before sliding down over each rib; each plane of his stomach muscles, palmed his balls and then moved back up to wrap around Chris’s shaft. Chris thrusted into Dom’s palm before taking his mouth. He pushed his tongue past Dom’s lips, moving along with each jerk of Dom’s hand. Dom’s movements sped up. His thumb brushed over Chris’s head, rubbing the pre-come there.

Dom’s face was solemn, his eyes studying. Just as quickly as the look appeared on his face it was gone, and Chris’s mind turned to mush as Dom’s sexy, muscular body came toward him. His mouth lowered over Chris’s dick, sucking in as much as he could.

“Holy. Fucking. Hell. Yes. Just like that.”

Up and down, Dom blew him, taking him deep.

On reflex, Chris’s body started to take over. His orgasm begging to be let loose as he fisted a hand in Dom’s hair.

As soon as he did, Dom pulled back.

“I want your mouth. You’re driving me fucking crazy,” Chris growled in harsh voice.

“Yes, I was going to, remember?” he got Dom’s mouth again, except this time it was in a kiss.

Dom’s lithe body ran the length of Chris’s, as he thrust their shafts together. That deep ache built inside Chris again as Dom’s tongue went deep, as the hard planes of their bodies fit together. There was nothing like the feel of another cock against his. The hardness as they rubbed together as they did their first time and unyielding flare…so primal, pure, uncommitted. Chris’s mind transformed into a clean canvas, none of the chaos and angry colors that painted it before hung in it now. In this moment, all he had on his mind was the task at hand—pleasure. To dish it out (maybe) and receive it for sure. It was all he thought about or felt.

Dom’s skin smelled like soap but sweat and sex tinged the air too. It felt like a mask, a fog to block the rest of his life off from him for a limited amount of time. All Chris needed now was just to fuck, to become unhinged for a short time, to tame that deep pain inside. To get untangled from his mind and let his body to make decisions on its own. He knew that it would never happen again and wanted to stretch this moment. He grabbed Dom and pushed him, not so gently on his back and opened his legs wide apart. Chris stuck two fingers in his mouth and probed at Dom’s entrance. He wanted sex to be rough, void of feelings, just plain physical fuck, nothing passionate or tender.

He pushed fingers inside, and bit Dom’s neck, hearing Dom mutter, “Holy shit”.

He didn’t pay attention. Chris decided that he is going for it and nothing will change it. He wasn’t doing it to please them both, it almost felt like punishment, he was going to reproach that ass and get the satisfaction in the process. He couldn’t give a flying fuck if Dom would climax. No, he will not afford him that luxury. Dom was on his own to seek his pleasure, he became the piece of ass in Chris’s hands. Nothing else. He pushed another finger in, leaned up and watched as his fingers slid in and out. Dom’s cheeks clinched, his muscular thighs reminding Chris everything he loved about a man.

 _“You’re too damned sexy. Keeping my dick in my pants would be a whole lot easier if you weren’t.”_ the thought just brushed Chris’s brain, but he didn’t let it to get stuck there. Nope, now really wasn’t the time.

Their circumstances tried to push their way in again, but then Chris told himself, _“Let it go. There’s nothing wrong with taking something for yourself.”_ He intended to do just that, indeed...

He pushed his fingers deeper, hooked them and briefly brushed Dom’s prostate before pulling them free. He could do this all day, but his dick hurt too, felt like it would explode if he didn’t find himself inside Dom right then. Chris pulled back, got off the bed, and went to his closet. He had a box on the top shelf that he reached for. He grabbed the lube and a condom, covering himself as he made it back to the bed in about two short steps. Dom still laid on his back, his hands holding onto Chris’s black headboard. Chris flipped open the lube, squirted a little on his dick and some in his hand before dropping it to the floor. He flipped Dom on his stomach, all in silence, not even a hard breath escaped their mouths. He spread Dom’s cheeks, lubed his hole and pushed inside.

“Goddamn.” He held himself still for a second, so he didn’t fill the condom right then. He pulled out before thrusting again. His hands covered Dom’s and he held on. The hair on their arms and legs rubbed together.

 _“He has to come like this! Fuck it, I’m not going to jerk him off.”_ Chris thought.

As Dom could read his mind, he accepted the challenge. He gripped Chris’s hands tighter, when Chris pulled almost all the way out and then slammed forward again. Over and over he pumped into Dom, getting himself deep inside. Each time he pushed into Dom, the man’s body thrust forward.

 _Did he like the feel of the blanket rubbing against his cock? Liked the slap of their bodies hitting together over and over again? Uhh, whatever_ …

Dom gritted out. “Harder.” His craving for burning assault getting uncontrollable.

Chris pulled almost all the way out again and slammed forward. He felt no restrain. Their bodies slapped together again, and he kept going. Faster, harder, until his orgasm swept him right there. While he pummeled into Dom, he bit into his shoulder at the same time. He felt when Dom’s body tensed and shuddered as he called out in intoxicating, aching coax too. Dom could feel his come, sticking to his stomach, but he couldn’t care less. This was something that he didn’t expect, didn’t hope for and it was totally different from anything he and Chris ever did before. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He knew that it wasn’t a reconciliation. But didn’t know on which level everything that happened should fit.

They untangled from each other and fell breathless on their backs.

Just when Dom opened his mouth to say something, Chris’s pager went on.

He picked up his phone and called the hospital. “Chris, we need you, it’s an emergency!” the night nurse’s voice came through. “Sure, I’ll be there ASAP!” he dropped the mobile.

Chris sat down with his back to Dom and patted his foot on the floor for his briefs. “I gotta go, it’s an emergency… ughmm, have a good flight tomorrow… bye Dom.” he got up and left the bedroom, clothing the bathroom door behind him.

In the privacy of the bathroom he took a long look in the mirror and sighed, He wanted to say something to Dom, but he couldn’t find it. He knew that it didn’t have to end up like this. They should’ve work harder to stay together, but they didn’t and now it was too late. He was always bad at goodbyes and the phone call rescued him from it…

It was over. Done. Chris felt like an utmost shit. Taking a quick shower, he went again through everything. The way he took Dom and then discarded him as a used condom was probably the lowest point of his life. He had an acryl taste in his mouth. Yes, he admitted to himself, he wanted Dom to feel his pain and he inflicted it, made him feel as a piece of ass – nothing more. But now it punched him in the gut. And his heart was black, he almost hated himself for letting it happen, it was too much, even if he wanted to punish Dom…

Unforgivable and mean. Dirty. Not his nature, he didn’t like a person he was turning into at all. Not like that.

“Do you even care, Chris? Honestly, do you give a shit that I’m leaving? I can’t be in a relationship where the other person won’t let me in. Not anymore.” He didn’t welcome the reminder of his previous relationship and how hurt he was, not today, not ever. Those words belonged in the past as everything that happened between him and his ex.

But it didn’t bring him that much pain, as Dom’s betrayal. Maybe because he didn’t love his ex and Dom was a person who got his heart, but didn’t want to keep it, at least it seemed like that now.

-//-

Dom felt awful. _“Well, what did you expect will happen? He would just magically rewind his memory back for two months and everything will be cool and dandy between you two?”_ his inner monologue was bitter and hurtful.

It was time to leave, nothing could be done. He got up, gathered his clothes and dressed up really quick. He came to the bathroom door and lifted his hand to knock, but then just shook his head, his arm went down, and he just whispered to the closed door, “Happy Birthday my love. I’m so sorry. Bye.”

Dom turned around and left quietly, closing the door on his way out, leaving the most important person in his life behind. He needed to stop for a second to blink the tears from his eyes, blinded by pain and disappointment. He didn’t have a strength to fight them and they kept slowly sliding on his cheeks…

_If I knew that his was going to be the last time I saw him, I should’ve memorised his face and if that was the last kiss, I would’ve never stop kissing him. And If I knew that I would screw up so bad, I would’ve stop him from leaving on his last trip, and sat him down and talked to him, and then we still would be together, in love, happy…_


	16. Chapter sixteen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dom on his way home. His mind is shattered and he has the worst, mind-numbing conversation with himself. Just floating between reality and wishful dreams...

**Chapter sixteen.**

 

 **Mind games** …

Dom was sitting in his business class seat, drink in his hand, the iPad in the front of him. He felt and could see nothing; his mind was playing dangerous and cruel game. The good and evil sides were fighting for the domination of his brain.

 **Evil** :” Come on, Dommy. We’re going back to the best city in the world. With your resources and looks- you will have any man you want. New York can offer you a juicy buffet for various tastes.”

 **Good** :” Shut up. You don’t get, that it’s not about getting a man, it’s not about the hot body, even if Chris had one of the best I’ve ever tasted, not about his gorgeous impressive dick- it’s him I need. His hard shell was hiding the most sensitive, romantic and selfless person inside. I need him. I realise now, when it’s too late - he is the love of my life. It all was my fault. Everything happened so fast, it simply spiraled out of the control.”

 **Evil** : “Dom, just let go. Who cares. We will have fun, we will make money. We will splurge on everything that we missed all these months! Parties, great food, drinks, maybe a little weed? You will forget about him in no time!”

 **Good:** “No, you’re saying it only to distract yourself of the awful thing you did. You were offered a crystal-clear heart on the golden plate, and you took that precious gift and crushed it into million pieces and stomped it into dirt, just because you can’t keep your dick in your pants. And for what? For one drunken night that you can’t even remember? With the man that meant nothing to you? If you won’t call yourself an idiot, people would- if they knew what you did.”

 **Evil:** “Pshhh, please. He never told you that he wanted to be your partner, didn’t even tell you that he loved you. How could you have known what was in his heart? He told you that he wasn’t looking for a relationship after his break up and you shouldn’t be sorry. It was inevitable that something like that would happen. He lured you in with his honey tree and you got hooked up on its taste. No worries, we will find another wood to wrap your lips around soon enough!”

Dom winced at that comparison. The last thing he would've done – was to say that Chris was having any secret agenda and trapped him in the relationship with sexy tricks.

He banged his fists on the tray table not able to handle the reality. People from neighboring seats looked at him with suspicion. Dom gave them a guilty smile and sank deeper into his seat.

 **Good:** “Excuses, excuses. You are despicable, and you should suffer. You knew very well who he was and what he felt toward you. He did love you, but you needed a vocal statement? What are you a child? No, what you did was gross and unfair, just take the blame and stop putting it on him. You loved him too, you acted out of spite, just because you got jealous and tried to inflict some pain on him. Well, you got your wish! Happy now?!!”

Dom screamed inside, _” Leave me alone, both of you. Just let me be! I can’t take it anymore._ ”

He grabbed his drink with shaking hand and gulped the contains of glass in one big swallow. He shook his head, trying to free it of all these thoughts.

 _“God, I deserve it, but please, let me forget…”_ hot tears trickled on his hands.

His head started to hurt and he asked the flight attendant for the Tylenol. She brought the pills and glass of fresh water, giving him a sympathetic look. Dom thanked her and when she left, put the headphones on. He found his music on iPhone and turned it to the full volume, hoping that it will distract him from the unbearable agony…

He looked out of the window when the plain started its descend and the clouds gave way to the beautiful view of grand city that he left not so long ago.

-//-

Dom didn’t notify anyone about his return. He needed some time alone, some space to put himself together, to be able to function and keep on with his life. He collected his luggage and hailed a cab from the line of cars, idling at the front of the airport. Dom gave driver the address and dropped his head on the back seat, closing his eyes. He could feel the wave of exhaustion slowly settling in his body.

After months of blissful existence, the events of the last four weeks turned his life upside down. His consciousness still was blurry, he still didn’t believe in everything that occurred and threw him off the balance. The aftermath of horrible emotional trauma just started to dawn on him. In his inflamed mind he could see the different episodes from his time with Chris. His reality was mixed with his fantasies, and he wasn’t sure in which one he was in right now…

_-//-_

_Chris was sitting across him, looking at Dom with soft smile. “I wish you were here. You are the only person that I want to be with. Remember, how we used to just hang, not talk, just be there? Easy as breathing?” Dom extended his hand to reach Chris’s fingers, spread on the bed._

_“Not always easy” Chris's smile became a little melancholy, like a cloud appears to cover the sun, preventing its bright shine._

_“No…” Dom was saddened, seeing this. “But you are the only person, who I could be myself with. Didn’t need to pretend, hide behind the fake bravado. You always let me to be vulnerable, exposed, but safe in the knowledge that it’s you.” He sniffled, and Chris weaved their fingers together and squeezed Dom’s palm._

_“How are you? Oh, no wait, I think, I know how you are. Probably hating my guts and trying to mend your life back to normal? Maybe you already extinguished all memories of me and did start a new chapter?!” Dom was slicing his hand through the air, punctuating every word, making red marks on his body, flagellating himself._

_“You were right, we should’ve tried harder to stay together. But at that point, I just plainly didn’t want to be with someone who didn’t want to be with me.” Chris was honest enough to admit the mistake and take some blame as well._

_“No, it was all my fault. I jerked you around. I just didn’t want to bring you a huge drama in the future and did it anyway. Forgive me.” Dom was unyielding in accepting his guilt._

_“Well, I should have reacted better. I want to be with you -no matter what.” Chris whispered to him…_

-//-

Cab’s tires screeched, and it stopped, yanking Dom back out of his dream. He realised that that what it was- a dream and got deflated from being back to gloomy reality.

He paid the driver and nodding at the doorman, went straight to the lift that took him to his flat. He opened the door to his immaculate, cold apartment, dropped the luggage at the door and without taking his shoes off, sank into the living room sofa. He rubbed his hands on his face, still not grasping completely what he should do.

How to live, because he didn’t know anymore.

The only thing that was clear, that he wanted to drop everything, fly back and beg Chris -on his knees, to take him back…

 _“Come on Dom get serious, stop pretending and speculating. Put yourself in Chris’s place- would you forgive? No, you would tell that motherfucker to get lost. And it’s all that matters. There is no going back. Never!”_ the truth was biting hard.

Frustrated, Dom grabbed the little vase from the table and threw it against the door. The small shards of glass flew everywhere like a shrapnel.

_“Bravo Dom, you found a perfect solution- destroy your own house. Bet, it would take the pain away, you asshole!”_


	17. Chapter seventeen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer is over and with it, this chapter in guys's life. I'm sad to say goodbye, but it's time. I hope you enjoyed it, because I loved writing it. Thank you all so much. Give me your thoughts, the feedback always greatly appreciated. Until then, have fun reading.

**Chapter seventeen**. **The End.**

A month passed by after Dom’s return to New York.

He was back at work, reorganising his company. Folks in the office wanted to throw him a welcome home party and Dom begged them not to do it. He just wanted to dig into work and stop the vortex of thoughts in his head. There was some matter of the delivery for the last equipment to Chris’s hospital and he decided to finish what he started, when he was there.

He opened his phone and looked at the screen saver. His heart skipped a few beats, when he saw the selfie of him and Chris they took one blissful afternoon in the garden. They both were shirtless and Dom tilted his head to the right, allowing Chris to tuck his head in the nook between his shoulder and the neck. Chris’s muscular arms were hugging him from behind and they both squinted their eyes from the bright rays of the sun beaming at them. They were smiling, radiating love and joy from the whole image.

Why he kept it on his phone, why allowed himself to be tortured by the memories of the affair- he couldn’t explain. He couldn’t bring himself to delete them from the gallery. In past, Dom studied human behavior. It helped him tremendously in his business. Dealing with other businessmen. It allowed him to get a better read on people. Made him to be a few steps ahead in the anything he was involved in, to make battleplans and win over anyone. He was a lone wolf, hunted alone and never accepted anyone’s help. He built a protective shield around himself, not letting anyone to manipulate him, but was easily adapt to manipulating others, make people to do what he needed of them, staying completely detached, void of all emotions.

It all changed, when he met Chris. He didn’t need to protect himself from the man, Chris wasn’t pursuing Dom, just challenged him. Dom didn’t need to use his classic moves, because Chris was an open page, not hiding behind empty phrases or trying to present himself in the better way. His mind, heart and behaviour were on the same path- honest, unpretentious, non-affected by any nonsense or games.

Dom realised now that he abandoned his skills, wrapped in the romance, blinded by love and read signals wrong. He relaxed and put his guard down. He didn’t figure out Patrick and missed what the real goal of his game was. He misconstrued the attempt to make Dom jealous and get him to cheat on Chris, to try and break them up. He was overplayed by someone who looked so innocent and not capable to have a hidden agenda.

He was taught a life lesson, for which he and the man he loved paid dearly. The sad grin quirked the corner of his mouth. The nasty, heavy feeling in his chest and burning in his eyes, predicted a new set of self-loathing. Was there a small chance that in the long road, if they meet, they would at least to act like friends? Sad friends, but…

 _“Oh, Dom, I don’t think there is any possibility you’ll ever get over him.”_ It was the **Good Dom** talking then.

He did a lot of stupid things in his life and sometimes wasn’t at his best, but to do what he did to Chris- it’s the least proud he had ever been of himself. In the short span of summer, he experienced the best and the worst moments of his life. The dreams of buying the winery, building the B&B and opening the small private resort -were just memories at this point. He wanted to be with Chris, planned to build a house for them on the cliff, overlooking the sea, planned to move his life to another country to spend it with the man he fell in love with…

All of it was laying in ruins, abandoned and destroyed.

-//-

Chris was at home, spending another lonely evening by himself. Those were the worst. Those brought the memories when he was alone in his house, not busy at the hospital, when dragged into everyday drama happening there. Those were the times that he wanted to switch off his brain and to fall in the abyss of mental stupor. He was trying to distract himself, tried to watch the TV, absentmindedly clicking the channels. The glass of wine on the side table and untouched dinner were waiting for him.

Thoughts… they were brewing in his head…

 _“We are different people, mismatched. From two very different worlds. There could never be a happy ending for us. And that’s what happened. Let it go Chris. Something like that meant to happen sooner or later. He would’ve start feeling caged in this small place and no amount of love that you might’ve offered, would make him to stay. With time passing by, he would start to miss his high society lifestyle and the choice of being the free agent, the “citizen of the world”. With time, he might’ve started to hate you and he was right saying that he could’ve bring you a wall of pain. You luckily escaped all of this before you invested all of yourself in the illusory relationship. It was not the one that could survive the reality of life. So maybe you should thank him, instead of being mad at him. You wanted to be single before you two met, so now you can return to this state again. If you would need sex, just get one-night stand. All fun and no agony after that”_.

He closed his tired eyes and saw them together on a beach. Dom laughing, playing it the water, splashing it on Chris. Then he took his swim trunks off and threw them at Chris; inviting, challenging smile on his lips. Chris caught the wet piece of fabric and dropped it on the sand. He started to move to the water, his eyes hiding a sly threat in them. Dom saw him and started to swim to get away. Chris gained up to him in a few wide strokes and grabbed his sinewy body with both hands. He tickled Dom’s ribcage and was delighted by his manic laughs. Dom twisted out of his hands and using his legs, weaved them around Chris’s waste, using his hands to jerk the trunks off of his lover. Dom snugged their naked bodies together, making Chris to grub his wet hair and place hungry kiss on his mouth. Dom’s lips playfully opened, letting the sweet tongue out and he licked salty water off Chris’s jaw. Then Dom dunk his head under water and wrapped his lips around Chris’s cock. The hot wave of undeniable pleasure struck Chris from the inside. God, that man’s mouth would be the death of him. He frowned and pulled Dom back to the surface, scared that he would run out of breath under the water. Dom shook his golden main and put his arms on Chris’s shoulders. He fastened himself to Chris’s chest and found his favourite toy. The ring was shining, wet under the sun and Dom tugged and sucked around it, making Chris to almost weep from desire…

Chris pulled Dom’s hair again, not able to hold off longer, he carried them both to the shore, where he dropped Dom down, and with soft grunt just entered him. The soft wetness accepted him and he just let go. They had another “hard to describe, you have to live through” sex!

_“No, Chris, no!!! Not anymore. Enough with the trips the memory lane. He’s gone back, he probably doesn’t think of you, totally forgot of your existence. And you should do the same!”_

But then again there were uncertainties. When Chris basically moved into Dom’s cottage, because Dom’s home was closer to the hospital, he loved it there. The cosiness of the house itself, the beautiful garden and of course- breathtaking view. All of it made a perfect base for them to play a house. Maybe it happened too spontaneous and rather fast, maybe he was crowding Dom, they used to spend every free minute together, maybe he wasn’t ready for this close proximity? But now, when it’s all was over, there still was a connection between them. It was hard to describe. They were over, but it was still there, it was to be expected. They were happy and then their cozy escape from reality got disrupted. He missed Dom so much that it physically hurt.

He remembered that Dom liked the things about him that nobody ever noticed before. They both thought it was just a fling, but it turned out to be so much more. He recognised that Dom might’ve been the love of his life. Sometimes, after another sleepless night Chris would pass out and then would wake up, feeling like a wet towel was wrapped around his brain. Chris’s inner monologue was supposed to make him feel better, then why his heart hurt so much? Why the loneliness and longing for the golden blond with the sweet body was depriving him of sleep and leaving a tugging heaviness in the bottom of his groin?

This chapter needed to be closed, better even- erased forever!

Chris shook his head as trying to get disturbing thoughts out of his mind and stood up to carry the leftover food to the kitchen. He dropped dishes in the sink, went back to the living room and switched the TV off. He got some folders from the briefcase and started to study the new patient’s chart. His heart beating fast and irregularly…stomping over itself.

Life does fuck people sometimes- it’s a proven fact! And it doesn’t give you the absolution from the sins you’ve done. And you can’t absolve yourself either. You have consciousness, god damn it…

 

**TBC, maybe… I mean, I did break them up, which was the point of the story. Don’t see any way back from this, but who knows, right?**


End file.
